


Acts of Redemption : Star Trek Into Darkness AU.

by AvaWorthWrite



Category: Benedict Cumberbatch - Fandom, Cumberbitches, Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness - Fandom, Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Captain - Freeform, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enterprise, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, James T Kirk - Freeform, John Harrison - Freeform, Khan Noonien Singh - Freeform, Spock - Freeform, Star Trek - Freeform, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Suicide, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-05-17 03:25:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 30
Words: 33,896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5852185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvaWorthWrite/pseuds/AvaWorthWrite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The trait that makes a hero a hero can also be their fatal flaw. Ella Violet King knows she is flawed, but she is realizing just how fatal her flaws can be. She is determined and intelligent. Vivacious and brave; knowing that bravery isn't the absents of fear, but strength despite fear. Her limits have been tested with the death of her mother, and the imprisonment of her father. She is young on her own and wanted by the police. It would be best to remain under the radar.  However, after saving Carol, Kirk, and Spock from a violent mugging, Violet is not only thrust into the world of Section 31, but the chaotic world of John Harrison.</p><p>P.S. It's an AU so I have change lots of the locations from San Fran to London.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. THE COLOUR VIOLET

-London-

"Like excuse me!" said some green haired chick I had pushed out of the way.

"Oh, sorry."

I elbowed my way threw the crowded bar, up to the bartender.

"What's your poison, sweety? Or do you want me to fix you something special?" He winked.

"Call the police!" I shouted over the pounding music.

"Huh? I don't know that one, love."

"No! My phone doesn't work. Call the police. Now."

"Huh? Why?

"You know that cute guy who was sitting here with his pointy-eared friend, and the pretty blonde?"

"I remember the blonde."

I rolled my eyes. "Two men followed them out the door. They are going to be mugged."

"How do you know, love?"

"I just know. Call the police now."

"But-"

"Now! And don't call me love."

I raced towards the door.

"Hey, love, where are you going?"

The air was warm, and the night was dark. My heart hammered in my chest. The screams were coming from around the building, in an alleyway.

In the dim lighting of the alley I could see the cute guy, from the bar, fighting off a man wearing a black mask. Where was the second mugger? It worried me that I didn't know of his whereabouts.

The pointy-eared man was on the ground next to the blonde chick. I wasn't sure if they had just been knocked out...or worse.  
The cute guy and the masked man were rolling around on the ground, fighting over an object. I took a step closer and noticed it was a phaser. I wondered if it was locked to stun or kill!

The cute guy was losing, taking punch after punch to the face. I needed to do something fast!   
Scream. No. Then the attacker will just knock you out, or worse.

I needed the vantage point.

There was a metal balcony that jetted out of the alleyway wall. It belonged to the apartment next to the bar. On the ground was a brick that had fallen off the old dilapidated apartment. I started to get an idea, the kind of idea that can you into trouble. I grabbed the brick and put it into my backpack. If there was any chance the victims were still alive, I had to help them.

My hands trembled as I clung to the drainpipe and hoisted myself up. I was pretty quick except for when the thread of my distressed black skinny jeans caught on a piece of pipe. I tore myself free, but scraped my knee. If my mom was still alive she would scold me for climbing drain pipes...again. If my dad was out of prison he would criticize me for not stretching before the climb.

I tip-toed from window sill to window sill until I reached the balcony. I grabbed the brick from my backpack and held it far above the head of the masked man.  
I was prepared to let the brick drop on his head...when I stopped. What if it killed him? What if he killed these people? What if these people stole something from him, and he is trying to get it back?

This is the wrong time to be having a moral conundrum, Violet!

Zap! The cute guy tumbled backwards as the mugger blasted him with phaser.

No!

"What's taking so long? I already brought the car around."

So that's where the second mugger had gone. He was taller than the other man.

"I told you to stay with me, Zac." He searched threw the hot guy's pockets.

"And I told you not to park so far away."

"He is out! Go and start the car while I search them."

"It should be on the girl." He pointed to the blonde chick on the ground.

"I know. I know. But I have to take their wallets so it looks legit."

"Well, hurry! If Section 31 finds out about this we are toast, Cliff."

"Then why did you let her into your office?"

"Look at her, she is hot," he pointed to the girl on the ground.

I rolled my eyes.

The tall man, Zac, headed off down the alley towards the getaway car.

Suddenly there was a loud groan. The balcony beneath me gave way. My world was falling in around me. I felt a painful thud as I slid and hit the ground. I had no time to feel the pain. I scrambled up. The brick was lost in the rubble of the balcony crash.

The masked man was wide eyed and stunned.

"I am sorry."

"Wha-"

I hit him across the face with my fist. The man hit the ground with a thud. A paper fluttered out of his hand. I reached down and picked it up.

Kelvin Memorial Archive   
Section 31  
Cyrostasis  
R 159  
72 remaining   
Experimentations

"Please...help," the blonde girl whispered and lifted her head.

I went to her aide, kneeling beside her. "What's your name, dear?"

"Carol." She tried to sit up.

"Don't move. You could be injured. Any movement could make your injuries substantially worse."

She eyed me suspiciously.

"Don't worry. I am nurse. I won't hurt you."

I could hear the long drawn out wail of sirens in the distance. I tensed. I tried to avoid run-ins with the cops, but I wouldn't sustain my freedom at the expense of a persons' health and safety.

"What's going on here?" Cliff, the mugger I had knocked out, had gotten up from the ground.

He tore the paper from my hand.

"What's wrong with you?" I shoved him backwards. "You think it's okay to hurt people? To make them feel small and vulnerable...and then just steal and take from them!" My eyes were starting to water and feel warm.

"Sweaty, don't take your father issues out on me. Okay. You picked the wrong place and time..."

I shoved him back and he fell over laughing.

"What's so funny?"

He reached into the pocket of his black leather jacket and pulled out a phaser. There was a light. Pain slowly washed over me.

Then darkness.


	2. THE COLOUR VIOLET: RUBIK'S CUBE

"Hello. Hello. How do you feel?" The voice was light and airy.

I opened my eyes. I was in the hospital, hooked up to an IV drip. The blonde chick, Carol, was standing over me with her two friends.

"She seems to have regained consciousness."

"Wow Spock, nothing gets past you."

"Was that an attempt at...sarcasm, captain?"

"Boys, stop. You will stress her out."

I sat up in my bed. I had a bandage across my forehead, but nothing on my neck. Good. No damage to the neck.

"Good morning, I am Carol."

The blonde chick was way too cheery for what happened the night before.

"Hi. Yeah I remember. You told me. "

"Oh, sorry, I don't recall telling you."

I shrugged. "I have a pretty good memory, and you weren't in the best condition."

"Well...a....these are my friends and Spock and Kirk."

Kirk's face was covered in black and blue bruises, especially his nose.

"Did they x-ray your skull?"

"Ahh..." Kirk tilted his head in confusion. He was cute in that sweet apple pie, All American, bring him home to mother sort of way. "What?"

"Trauma to the nose can sometimes lead to the bone being pushed up into the skull-"

"The proper medical procedures have been followed in accordance with hospital regulation. We are in good health. The doctors have confirmed this," Spock said. His face revealing no more emotion than his voice.

"Good," I pushed my arms outward and stretched. "Glad to hear."

Spock clasped his hands behind his back and took a step forward. "We would like to thank you for your noble attempt at intervening on our behalf. However foolish it was."

"Spock," Kirk whispered.

"What, captain? I fail to see where I am at fault. She is five foot four inches tall, approximately one hundred and ten pounds, and she attempted to engage in combat with a violent man. A man twice the size and strength of her."

"And he was armed." I cocked an eyebrow and grinned.

"And he was armed," Spock said in agreement.

"Wait...how do you know I helped you? You were knocked out."

"I regained consciousness when the paramedics arrived," Kirk said. "I overheard the bartender talking to the police. He told them that you new we were going to be mugged."

"Which brings up a valid question: How did you know about the future assault on us?"

"I was at the bar, waiting to meet some guy I had met on the Internet. It was a date...whatever. He never showed." I rolled my eyes. "Anyhow, I noticed everyone else engaged in dancing and socializing. I wasn't. Whatever, I am used to it. Usually, if I go to social things, I bring a book and find a nice corner to read--"

"You bring a book--"

"Yes, I still read old fashion paperback. Don't judge," I interrupted Kirk. "But this was a date so I didn't bring a book. Lucky for you guys."

"How does that make us lucky?" Carol walked over to the window and looked out. She seemed distracted.

"Bringing a book on a date is rude...or so I have been told." I reached forward, grabbing a grape juice box from the tray in front of me, and took a sip. "Ew. This is not grape." I placed the juice box back on the tray. "Anyhow, I noticed two guys sitting together watching you three. They weren't drinking, or eating. The tell-tale sign was that they were not trying to pick up woman."

"You are trying to convey to us that you new of our future assault do to you superior observational skills."

I smiled. "Are you questioning my character...my morals and roll played in this situation, Mr.Spock?" I placed a hand on my head, it ached.

"Forgive him, " Kirk said. "He is inconsiderate."

"On the contrary. He is very considerate. He very well knows that I am one hundred and fifteen pounds, but didn't want to give away a woman's weight. Good boyfriend material."

"You are using humour as a means to avoid answering the question presented to you," Spock said.

"Who said I was kidding?"

"Please, tell us what happened," Kirk sat down in a chair by my bed side. He sighed. I could tell he was exhausted.

"I had nothing to do with the attack on any of you. Okay, yes, I new you were going to be mugged because of my observational skills. My family could only afford to live in poor areas of the city." I glanced over to Carol, she seemed troubled as she stared out the window. "Crime was heavy where I lived. I have seen that look...that look of someone planning something immoral." I could feel tears pooling in my eyes.

"A...um...its, okay. You don't have to say anymore." Kirk placed his hand on mine and gave it a squeeze.

"Yes, she does," Spock said.

"I only new you were going to be mugged because...of where I lived. Because its what I feared as a child. If my suffering as a child lends to my observational skills...skills that help spare you last night, well then perhaps my pain as a child was worth it."

"Kirk was correct. You should have not been pressured into revealing such personal details. I apologize."

"It's okay," I said softly.

There was a knock on the door. It was a police officer. He had come to question us about the attack.

"Name?"

"My name is Violet, officer."

"Viola?"

"No. Violet, like the colour. Listen I am emotionally drained and...could you just please question Carol first?"

"Yes. I don't mind." Carol stepped away from the window. She finally seemed present; not drifting in the world of her thoughts.

I wanted to hear what Carol had to say. It was obvious that the mugging was not a random act. The muggers made it clear that they wanted something Carol had. The one mugger, Cliff, had nearly wretched my hand off to get that piece of paper.

Kevin Memorial Archive   
Section 31  
Cyrostasis  
R159  
72 remaining   
Experimentations

I listened as Carol told her account of what happened last night. How she had been out with her friends to celebrate her birthday, and upon leaving the bar they all had been attacked from behind, by surprise.

Kirk got up from his chair and paced the room. He mention how he managed to dodge the blast from the phaser, and then attempted to fight off the attacker.

Spock had been knocked out the same time Carol had, so he didn't remember much.

Officer Hail turned to me. He wanted to get my account of the attack. Carol hadn't mentioned the mysterious paper the muggers had found in her purse, so I wasn't about to bring it up. Well, not at least until I talked with her about it.

"Your name?" Officer Hail stood by my bed side. He held a small PADD that he used to type out the account of our attack. Kirk, Spock and Carol were in the corner of my hospital room whispering to each other. When I started to speak Kirk placed his hand on Carol's shoulder and nodded in my direction. I could tell that they were listening to my conversation.

"Your name?"

"I told you, Violet."

"Full name."

"Violet Swanson."

Liar.

The officer typed my name into his PADD.

"You don't have an English accent, not from around here?"

"I grew up in San Francisco."

"Apart of Starfleet, like the rest of the over there." He pointed to Carol, Spock and Kirk.

"I trained at the Academy in medicine and computer engineering--for medical advancements, but I never have gone on a mission. Why?"

"We are wondering if the attack was made purposely on Starfleet members or if it was random?"

No. It wasn't random.

"Were you at the party for Miss. Marcus?"

"No."

I told the officer what happened: How I new that Kirk, Spock and Carol were going to be mugged simply through observation and past experiences. Officer Hail raised an eyebrow at this, paused for a moment, regarding me, and then continued to type on his PADD using a touch screen pen.

I proceeded to give him a description what the muggers looked like before they had their masks on. Then I told about my little climb up the apartment wall, and the events leading up to the point where I was blasted with a phaser. However, I left out the part about the mysterious note, and what the muggers had said to each other.

"You climbed the apartment!" Carol's mouth gaped. "You could have died."

"You could have too. I couldn't just leave you guys there to be attacked. I try to treat others the way I want to be treated."

"That's all, thank you Miss. Swanson." Officer Hail smiled, finally. "You are a very brave young woman." The officer had gone from being suspicious of me to admiring me. He turned to leave.

"Wait. Did they find the perpetrators?"

"No, they disappeared."

I nodded.

The officer left. Closing the door behind him.

"You didn't tell us you were a member of Starfleet!" Carol smiled.

"You never asked. Anyhow, I am not truly a member. I never went on a mission."

"Why?"

"It's a long story."

A painful story.

"I believe we are tiring the patient," Spock said.

"Right. We will leave you to rest."

"Thank you, Violet. For helping us," Kirk said. He closed the door as they all left.

My black pleather backpack was on the ground in the corner. I leapt up from the bed, then regretted it when I started to see spots. I steadied myself and grabbed my backpack.

"Oh, I hope it's alright," I whispered under my breath. I yanked it out of my backpack and sighed in relief when I saw it was not broken.

To anyone else it looked like a normal PADD with a pink Hello Kitty Case, but it was not normal. I had modified it, giving it advanced capabilities. I called it the "Rubik's Cube" and my dad called it the "Gidget" for some reason or another. However it didn't matter what it was called, to invent it was illegal, to use it was treason.

I had designed it with intentions of revenge. I used it for revenge. But after sending my father to prison, I swore to only ever use it for good. The regret over what I did to my dad still stung, and it changed me. I wanted to be a better person, to use my talents and my invention to make my father proud, in honour of the person he was, and is.

I used the Rubik's Cube to hack the hospital's computer. I wanted to know what Kirk diagnoses was. He could be hurt and lying as to not to upset me. People usually try to protect me from things. I look small and tiny and easily startled. I hate to be thought of as fragile.

Kirk was good. Everyone was good. I had suffered no serious damage to the head as the balcony had collapsed slowly to one side and I slid down it like a slide. I was more relaxed knowing for sure that everyone was okay.

I exited out of the hospital's files.

Now, to do some "research" on one Carol Marcus and a certain Section 31.


	3. A RIDE HOME

"Ugh! No. I got a tear in my skinny jeans." I sighed and flung my backpack over my shoulder.

"Are you referring to the tear in your already torn pants?" Spock stood in the doorway of my hospital room.

"Yeah."

"They are already torn."

"Yeah, but the other tear is not supposed to be there."

"There is no logic in what you are saying."

"It's ok. Why are you here? Not to be rude..."

"The doctors told us of your release today."

"Yup, surprisingly I am alright in the head."

"You wouldn't agree."

I laughed. "Some wouldn't."

"Your family wouldn't agree?"

"I don't have family here. Witch you probably know since no one came to visit me in the hospital."

"Precisely. I assume you would need a ride home."

"Are you offering?"

"Yes. Kirk and Carol are waiting downstairs."

"Thanks."

I sat in the back of the car with Spock. Awkward. Kirk drove and Carol sat in the passenger seat.

"So where is your family?" Carol glanced over her shoulder at me.

"My mom is dead. My dad...is always away. Anyhow, I never really got along with him." I cleared my throat. "So...what are you all doing in London? Isn't Starfleet HQ in San Fran? Did you all bail to go to Carol's party?"

Carol laughed. "No. I have never been such a rebel. There is a StarFleet academy opening in London. We are all here for the grand opening. There is even a StarFleet museum dedicated to the advancement of Space Travel through the ages."

"That's cool. "

"So you are into medicine?" Kirk spoke up.

"Yeah...I was but now I am just a teachers assistant for a daycare."

"Is this your apartment?" Spock turned to me as we came to a stop.

"Yeah. Sorry. I should have warned you that it was in a sketchy area of the city. Thanks for the ride." I opened my door.

"Do you want us to walk you to the door?" Kirk furrowed his brows.

"Your concern is touching, but I am good, thanks. And nice meeting you all."

I unlocked my front door, and headed up to my apartment. The anticipation of my impending break in of Section 31 was almost too much to handle. I couldn't wait to get started.


	4. AN INVITATION

I was frustrated to say the least. My search into Section 31 had lead me to random conspiracy sites. I paced my living room, trying to concentrate, but the couple that lives next door were fighting...again!

"He is flirting with the waitress at work! You already know it!" I hit the wall. And I hacked his phone and found incriminating SpaceBook messages...so yeah.

Knock! Knock!

I sighed and flung open the door. "What do you--Carol?"

"So...you can't stay here."

"Ah? What? Why?"

"It's far too unsafe. You saved my life. I wont let you stay here. Come, stay with my family and I."

"Ahh...what?"

"You heard me." She placed her hand on her hips.

"It would be logical to stay with the Marcus's." Spock walked up beside Carol.

"Did I hear gun shots?" Kirk glanced down the hall.

"You get used to it," I said.

"Ahh...no." Kirk shook his head. "You are going to stay with Carol."

"Umm." I shifted uncomfortably. "O...okay then. Thanks. I don't what to say but, thanks."

"Do you need help packing?" Carol offered.

"A...no. I don't have that much stuff. Give me ten minutes."

"Okay, we will be downstairs in the car."

"Thanks. Oh, and keep the windows rolled up. Oh, and don't look anyone in the eye."

"We figured as much," Spock said as they left.

Okay then...I am going to live with the head of StarFleet and his daughter. Okay. One step closer to finding out where Section 31 is. I could tell that this was going to be...interesting.


	5. A LADY DRESSED IN VIOLET

A chill ran down my spine as the tour guide lead us through the new StartFleet Museum.

He had stopped on a long tube like object used to basically freeze people. It was a Cyrotube.

Cyrostasis, like on the note Carol had during the mugging.

"Where did StarFleet find this tube?" I asked the tour guide.

"I am unaware. One of those classified issues."

"Mmhhmm."

The tour continued. For the most part I was enjoying myself. I had been living with the Marcus's for about a week. Carol invited me to the grand opening of the StarFleet museum near the Kelvin Memorial Archive.

I couldn't refuse. Not when the Kelvin Memorial Archive was on the list the muggers took from Carol.

After I agreed to attend the event Carol took me dress shopping. Her father paid for my violet coloured evening gown, which is one of the reasons I felt so guilty. Carol and her family have been so kind to me, and here I am snooping into their private affairs.

I haven't been able to bring myself to hack into her or her father's computer without a twinge of guilt getting in the way.

I walked up to Carol after the tour. "Are you having fun?"

"It's a good time, but nothing like my party."

"Yes. Nothing quite like getting mugged."

"Well, perhaps not that part," she said before taking a sip of her champaign.

"About the mugging...Carol, you know if you are in trouble, you can trust me."

She frowned. Her face becoming very serious. "Whatever do you mean?"

She shifted away from me. "We'll, you know if anything is bothering you, you can come to me for help."

She smiled, but it seemed forced. "Thanks. Oh, there is Kirk. Excuse me." She walked over to Kirk and kissed him on the lips.

I suddenly felt uncomfortable, like someone was watching me. I looked across the room and saw Carol's father, Admiral Alexander Marcus glancing at me as he spoke with another man. I did another take and the man he had been speaking with was gone. The lighting was dim and the crowd was thick so I couldn't be certain, but I could have sworn the Admiral Marcus was talking to Zac, one of the men that had mugged us.

The Admiral continued staring at me, and he didn't look away.


	6. SECTION 31

To say that my heart was hammering in my chest was an understatement. I hid in the closet, and tried to listen, carefully, over the sound if my thudding heart.

It had all transpired so quickly. I hardly had time to think.

I was too impulsive, like my mother always said.

When I got home from the museum opening I waited till the Marcus's went to bed. Then I started hacking. I found it more than a little disturbing when I cracked the password to the Admiral's computer, and it turned out to be the word VENGEANCE. 

I did a search of everything on Carol's list.

Kelvin Memorial Archive

Section 31

Cyrostasis

R 159

72 remaining

Experimentations

Mostly, I found photos. Photos of several Cyrotubes, and the most alarming photos were of a large space ship built for combat.

However, there was something that disturbed me more than a large war ship. When I searched the experimentations there was a long list of experiments performed on an individual known as J.H in room 159.

Getting into Section 31 was surprisingly easy. I hacked the admiral's computer and issued myself a false ID card as a scientist. After that all I needed was a white lab coat and a blonde wig to conceal my identity.

When I enter room 159 I found a medical examination table and a long line of syringes prepared for...experiments. I was about to take a look at the lab computer when I heard loud angry voices coming from the hall. I smushed myself into a supply closet that smelt of odd chemicals. I hoped that there would be no adverse effects.

"Let. Them. Go."

"Not until my ship it built, Khan."

I new that voice! Admiral Marcus!

"It's almost done," the man's voice though deep and strong, quivered, "let my crew go."

"No. They will remain under my command until I say so."

"And you will continue to torture me until then."

"Consider it your sacrifice for humanity. These experiments will help us create better soldiers in times of war."

"And if I don't my crew dies."

"It's your choice."

I heard the man called Khan get onto the table, and the Admiral left as a bunch of people entered the room.

From what I heard from their conversations, I could tell they were scientists.

This wasn't going to be good.


	7. ALARM

I wasn't one for crying.

I hadn't cried since I sent my father to prison and regretted it wholeheartedly.

However, listening as the scientists experimented on the man named Khan, made tears form in my eyes.

He didn't cry but I heard him try to stifle a scream. With my medical trading I new the kinds of chemicals they were injecting into him and what the effects were. No human should suffer that.

My vision blurred as I typed rapidly on my PADD. I had once used it to set off the fire alarm at school--long story--so why couldn't I set off an alarm in a highly classified area.

3\. 2. 1.

The alarm blared and I almost dropped my PADD. I caught it and slid it into the brief case I had slung over my shoulder.

The scientists ran away in fear.

I stepped out of the closet.

The man on the table was strapped down and had several IV drips stuck into his pale skin.

His shirt was off, and his abdomen covered in bruises and burns. It was sickening. How could human being make another person suffer? How could they live with themselves?

"Who are you?" he whispered.

I had to get closer to hear him over the alarm.

"Shh, I am going to help you."

"At what cost? What do you want from me?"

"Nothing."

He looked shocked.

His file was on the lab computer. I looked at all the meds and chemicals they had given him.

I had to make sure he was sedated before I followed through with the plan that just hatched in my mind. I took a from a near-by cupboard and filled it with medication. He flinched when I drew near. "Don't worry. I am not going to harm you. This is just going to make you sleep. It's safe with the other drugs they gave you--there will be no adverse effects."

I carefully injected the medication into his arm.

"You are okay." I reassured just before his eyes fluttered close.

I removed all the IV drips and restraints .

Now, all I had to do was escape a dangerous classified area with an unconscious stranger. Great.


	8. KLINGON DISEASE

I covered Khan with a blanket to make it look like he was dead, then I proceeded to rummage through the medical supply closet until I found a hazmat suit. I threw my white coat into my briefcase, and grabbed the hazmat suit from the closet. I put the suit on and zipped it up, hood and all.

My briefcase was slung over my shoulder, and my face was covered with a mask. I started to wheel Khan towards the automatic door.

"Well, hope I don't get caught and like...die," I murmured to myself.

The alarm continued to blare, and red lights flashed from the ceiling. It was all out chaos! Scientists ran down the halls, their white lab coats fluttered behind.

A glowing pink unicorn, in a rolling glass cage, was being pushed into a room by two security officers. Side not, the unicorn breathed fire. So normal. I don't want to know.

Finally, after darting around scientists and strange caged beings, I made into the cargo ramp. There was a security guard waiting. He was bald, tall and muscular. Basically threatening. I swallowed hard. My hands were shaking.

"A...where do you think you are going?"

I used that magic little word that everyone seemed to use here. "Classified."

"Ah, no. You have to tell me."

I shook my head. "All I can tell you is that I am dealing with a contagiousness disease that this man has died from."

"Then why are you trying to bring him outside?"

Err good question. "We don't have the means to properly dispose of him here. The rest is classified."

"Where are your orders?"

"Back at the lab. Didn't have time to grab them with the alarm going."

"Let me see what you have under the sheet."

I clenched my hands tightly around the handle of the table, to steady them. "Listen, the last time I was detained it didn't turn out to well for Roger."

"Roger?"

"You know, Roger, the old security guard?"

The large gruff man leaned with one arm against the doorway. "Doesn't ring a bell."

"Oh, of course not! I didn't think they had perfected the memory wiping serum yet. Glad to see they have worked out...most of the issues. Hope you don't start bleeding from the eyes like the other ones."

"What?"

"Anyhow, Roger was the last security guard who had a post in this section. You would probably remember him--that is before they wiped your mind clean. He stopped me from bringing a dead test subject, also carrying the disease, out these very doors. Wanted to see under the sheet. Do you know where Roger is now?"

He lifted a brow. "Where?"

I glanced down at the table and sighed.

The security guard stiffened up, standing perfectly straight. His eyes were wide.

"It was only two days! Two days and the....the Klingon Jumping...Ameba got into his intestines."

"No," the security guard whispered. "I think I have heard of that."

"Yeah, well, you do for now, until....you drink the apple juice in the cafeteria and your memory is gone."

He glanced down at the table.

"Poor Roger, it was basically death by diarrhea. It was only merciful that we ended him." I sighed. "However, you want to see him, so..." I went to lift the blanket.

"No!"

"I mean it's not airborne, but once you touch the diseased host--"

"No! No! I am good."

I nodded. "Wise choice. Far more wise than poor Roger."

He stepped aside from the doorway, and let me pass.

"Wait."

I felt a chill run up my spine.

I turned around. "Yes."

"Is it true about the apple juice? I already had some today."

"Yes. You shouldn't recall this conversation by tomorrow, but if you do, don't say anything. The drug is still in the experimental stages. If you recall our conversations, they will up the dose." I paused, trying my best to retain a air of mystery and sorrow. "Shrivelled testicles is one of the more merciful side effects." I stifled a laugh, and made it sound like I was coughing instead.

"Wow." His eyes grew wide. "That explains so much."

Too much information! Too much!

I wheeled Khan down an alleyway, and it was just in time, because the drug was wearing off and he started to moan.


	9. FREEDOM AND DEATH

"I will not have any dirty behaviour in my hotel!"

"Sharon...you run a hotel. Ok there are so many things I could say right now, but I don't have time."

Khan was leaning against me, in the hotel lobby. I had left the metal table in a an alleyway and threw the hazmat suit in a self-incinerating dumpster. It would destroy the suit and my DNA, and I am sure by now the table had been stolen and pawned off somewhere.

"Please Sharon, he needs medical treatment, but he is in trouble and won't allow me to bring him to a hospital."

"Trouble?" She placed her arms across her chest, and said threw gritted teeth. "Trouble, like your trouble? Like wanted by the police trouble?"

"Shhh. He doesn't know that. Listen. I don't know if he is wanted, but I recused him from people trying to torture him" I pulled back the blanket to reveal the burns and bruises on his chest.

Her arms fell to her sides, and the features of her face fell in shock and sadness. "Fine. This way."

I followed the petite older lady down the hall to a room. She helped me place Khan on the bed.

"Bring me your first aid kit."

Fine. She was quick and brought me the kit.

"Later you are going to have to tell me everything that happened. I already know why you wear the coloured contacts, but you have to tell me about the blonde wig."

"Fine. Later." I slammed the door shut on her.

Khan was lying on the bed, wrapped in the blanket from Section 31. He looked up at me, his deep blue eyes glanced lazily around the room. He was still dazed from the drugs.

He whispered something, so quiet I could hardly hear it. I stood beside him.

"What?"

"Help."

His eyes rolled back in his head. He stopped breathing.

He was dying!


	10. FOR THE SAKE OF KINDNESS

I carefully rolled Khan onto the floor, placing him on his back. It would be easier for me to administer CPR this way.

"Can you hear me?"

Nothing. His eyes were closed and he still wasn't breathing.

I gently lifted his chin up then pushed down on his forehand with my other hand; tilting his head back and opening his airway.

His airway was clear, but he still wasn't breathing.

A tight knot was forming in my stomach. Did I inject the wrong medication back at the lab? Did I kill him?

I used my thumb and forefinger to pinch his nose. The heel of my hand rested on his forehead, keeping his head tilted back.

My other hand remained under his chin, lifting it up. I was alarmed at how cold his pale skin felt.

I inhaled and then sealed my lips to his, giving him two full breaths. His chest lifted up!

I placed both of my hands on his chest, one hand over the other, and started the chest compressions.

He started coughing! He was breathing.

I burst out crying; relief coursing through my body.

I backed into the corner of the room and leaned against the wall. I brought my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I huddled in upon myself. My sobs were stifled, but they were ragged and powerful, making my entire body tremble. "Thank God," I gasped.

"What...what happened?" He looked over at me. His eyes less dazed and his black hair falling in his face.

I shook my head and cried into my knees.

"What...what's going on? Where am I?"

I took a deep breath.

"You are still in London. I brought you to my friend's hotel." With the back of my hand I wiped my tears from my cheeks.

He licked his parched lips, they looked far too pale. "Why are you crying?"

I crawled over to him. "When we were at Section 31 I had to drug you to smuggle you out of there. I think...I might have given you too much of the drug." I steady my voice. "I am sorry. I think I almost killed you."

"Are you sorry didn't end me."

"No! I didn't want to hurt you. I gave you CPR!"

"Why?"

"So you would live. Why else?"

"People aren't kind to me for the sake of kindness. They want something in return. What. Do. You. Want?"

"I want to help you. Can you stand?"

"Not on my own."

I helped him into bed, and put the covers over him.

There was a water bottle and a chocolate mint on the bedside table. "Here, you need to drink." I opened the water bottle and held it while he drank.

When he was done I put the bottle back on the table.

"Who are you?"

"That's not important."

I put my first aid kit on the bedside table and started to remove disinfectant.

"Yes. It is." He closed his eyes tightly. I could tell he was still in pain. "Why did you help me escape? What do you want from me?"

"Nothing. Listen...Section 31 hurt my friends. I didn't know who or what Section 31 is, but I found out. Then I happened to stumble upon you..."

He glanced over at me threw half closed eyes, no longer dazed by medication, but filled with suspicion. "And..."

"I heard them, the scientists, and what they were doing to you. I heard you in pain."

"So?"

"So?" I shook my head. "It was wrong."

"I could have deserved it."

"No one deserves that." I reached forward and pulled back the blanket, revealing his wounded chest. "I am sorry, this may sting a bit, but I need to clean this wound. It's deep."

He eyed me with hesitation.

"I am not going to stab you or anything."

He sighed deeply and nearly chocked.

"I would give you strong pain meds, but I didn't know how they would interact with the medication you have been--"

"Where is my crew?" His voice wavered from the deep convictions of his usual tone, and I heard a moment of vulnerability.

"What?" I paused as I reached for a syringe ready to freeze the area before I started stitching his wound.

"Is my crew still under the control of Section 31?"

"Your Crew? I do not have them...so I imagine so. "

His eyes shut closed. "Then they all are dead," there was such venom, and emptiness in his voice, it startled me.

"Who are you?" I asked gently. "What happened to you? Who is dead?"

"My crew is dead...because I escaped. When I attempted to escape the first time he threatened my crew. Now that I am gone...they are all dead."

A few tears ran down his face. His breathing became quick and ragged.

"I...I am sorry."

"They were my family. They are all I had in this world and they are gone. I failed them." His body started to tremble. "I promised them safety. I would keep them safe."

Forgetting the stitches I threw the syringe back into the case. I then pulled the covers up to his chin. "Shh. Everything will be okay," I whispered. "Shh. Don't worry. You need to calm yourself or you will--"

His eyes flashed open. "Why are you doing this? Who are you?"

"I am no one important. But listen...we need to go to the police and tell them how you have been treated, and tell them about what happened to your crew."

"The police are useless. Section 31 answers to no one."

"They will answer for there actions one day."

"Only by a miracle."

"I believe in miracles," I whispered.

"You do?"

"Yes."

"You believe in miracles and a God who creates them?"

"Yes. You don't?"

"I have no reason to."

"An hour ago you were being tortured. Now you are not. A miracle."

He had stopped shaking so I pulled the blanket back down.

"What do you want from me? I can not be controlled now. Not when they have killed every single one of the people I hold most dear."

Tears started to form in my eyes. "I told you already. I want nothing."

I reached over into the first aid and pulled out a syringe. He grabbed onto my wrist so tight I thought it would snap. "Ow. Stop."

"I won't be tortured."


	11. DIG TWO GRAVES

"Listen to me. I am not your enemy. I am not going to torture you."

"What's in the syringe?"

My wrist was throbbing. "It's only going to freeze the area of your wound, so I can stitch you up without it hurting. It shouldn't have any adverse side effects with the meds you have been given."

"If you are lying I will know it."

"Fine. If you don't trust me you can inject me with it first then."

"What?"

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me. I am stranger and you have come from a place where you have been treated like a lab rat." I could feel my pulse pounding in my strangled wrist. "You can inject into my leg."

He blinked. "Why your leg?"

"Because....I can't stitch your wound if you inject my arm. My arm would freeze for half an hour and we would be wasting time. I wouldn't be able to dress your wounds which would leave you vulnerable to infection. But I can kneel on the bed with a frozen leg and still be able to help you."

He gazed trailed from my wrist to the syringe and then back to my eyes. "You are serious?"

"You can inject me or break my wrist, but I will still try to help you. I am no monster. I don't want to make you suffer. I don't enjoy seeing people in pain."

He looked some what shocked, as if I had hit him. Finally he let go of my arm and settled down into the bed. His face scrunched in agony. I could tell he was suffering deeply over the loss of his crew.

"This may hurt a bit and then it will feel numb." I injected the local anesthetic.

"There is no point to this. My body should regenerate and heal in a matter of hours."

"Hours? How?"

He smirked. "That is not important."

I reached into the first aid and took out the needle and thread for the stitches. "You know, we could go to StarFleet. I know people--"

"StarFleet has no conscience. No soul. They are apart of the very organization that destroyed my crew!"

"What? No--"

"Section 31 operates to protect StarFleet and Federation Space at all cost. At the cost of my family."

"No. Not the people I--"

"You can not trust any of them. They are the monsters, as cold as any Klingon. Worse even, for they are human yet act as monsters. The Klingons at least have the excuse of being born monsters. What's StarFleet's excuse?"

"Stay still. You are going to tear the stitches."

I could see his hands curling into tight fists.

"Such hatred for StarFleet?"

"I will make them pay for what they did to my crew. I will get them all in one room, and watch them pay."

I placed all the medical aid tools back into the kit and backed away.

"They took my family from me. Are you so shocked that I would seek vengeance?"

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves."

"I don't need you spitting archaic quotes at me. You didn't lose your family!"

"Yes, yes I did."

"How?"

There was a knock at the door. My body tensed.


	12. SUPERIOR

I looked through the peephole of the door. It was Sharon holding a tray with plates and drinks. Sharon kicked the door again, making me jump.

"Ok. Hold on!" I unlocked the door and allowed her to enter.

She bustled in. "Everyone good? Healthy? Still a virgin?" She eyed me.

"Sharon! We are fine."

"Mhmmhh." She places the tray on Khan's lap and then took my plates and cutlery, placing them on the bedside table by the first aid. "I got my eye on you." She stared at me.

I rolled my eyes then shut the door behind Sharon.

I sat in chair near Khan's bed. My legs were tucked up and I balanced my plate on my legs.

Khan just stared at his plate.

After taking a sip of my coffee, I placed it back on the table. "Do you not like chicken?"

"There is nothing wrong with it," his voice was low, vacant even.

"Ok, so then what's wrong? It's not poison if that's what you think."

He didn't answer me.

"We can switch plates if that's what it takes to get you to eat."

He didn't answer. Instead he took up his cutlery and started to dig into his food.

The sound of cutlery scraping against our plates filled the silence.

"Do you want you want my chocolate pudding?"

He glanced up at me with those intense dark eyes; such an odd mix of both doubt and resentment was palpable in their deep colouring.

"It's pudding not a death threat." I held the bowl out to him.

"I don't need it. I already had mine."

I placed it on his tray. "But you are hungry. Eat it."

After several moments he grabbed the bowl and started eating. Once he was done I set the tray and our plates aside on the floor.

"Do you want anything else?"

"No."

"Ok. Then let me dress the rest of your wounds."

"They are minor and will heal on their own."

"Please..."

"No. It's not up for discussion."

"Fine."

I returned to my seat and took out my PADD from my briefcase.

"What are you doing?"

"I am looking into a job. I moved out of my old place, so I had to quit my old job, since I moved to a new area."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Sleep."

"Sleep?"

"Yes, rest relax," I said gently. "Fall asleep."

"And you are just going to watch me sleep?"

"I will monitor you, to make sure your vitals are good. Nothing sinister about it. Now rest."

He turned to his side. It took some time, but his body relaxed and he slept for several hours.

I gently nudged his shoulder. He sprung forward and latched onto my hand.

"Your leg is bleeding."

"I know." He let go of my hand.

"Why didn't you tell me? You have lost enough blood for it to soak through the sheets."

I went to remove the blanket.

"No."

I knelt by his bedside. "Why?"

"I don't need your help."

"Why are you so afraid?"

"I am not afraid!"

"Yes, you are."

"Of what? Pain? I don't care if my leg hurts." He leaned up in the bed.

"No...of kindness." I placed my hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down.

"I don't need your pity. The bleeding has stopped. My leg is fine."

"I am just trying to help you."

"I said it once already, I don't need your help. I won't be pitied."

"You...you think that if someone wants to help you they lose all respect for you. That's not the case," I whispered. "Needing help is not a shameful thing. "

"Leave!"

I walked over to my chair and grabbed a grey top Sharon had found for him. "Here." I threw it at him. "It should fit."

He put the top on in silence.

I reached my PADD. I had left it near him on the bed, he glanced down at it. "What are you reading?"

"A friend of mine offered me a job at the Royal Children's Hospital. I was researching the hospital when I came across this article on Lucille Harewood. It's about a poor little girl who is ill and dying. Her father is reaching out to anyone, in any planet, that may have a cure for his daughter's disease."

He sat up in the bed again. His posture perfect. "Let me see."

I handed him the PADD.

He read the title of the article,"I would do anything for my daughter." He glared at the screen, his dark blue green eyes shining in the screen's light. "I know him, Thomas Harewood, that is."

"You do?"

"A member of Section 31." He handed the PADD back to me.

"No."

"You can't trust anyone." He stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"I am not telling you."

"You are still not well enough to leave. Anyone who has gone through your ordeal would need more time to rest."

"Ah but you see I am not like everyone else."

I stood in from of the door, blocking him. "Wait. I still have so many questions!"

"They will remain unanswered."

I looked up at him and realized how tall he was. "Please...I need to know."

"Know what?"

"What does Cyrostasis have to do with Section 31."

"And in exchange for this information what will you give me?"

"I have nothing to offer...but I would like to help you."

He smiled but it didn't reach his blue eyes. "You already have in more ways than you can imagine."

"What do you mean...exactly?"

He placed his hand on my shoulder. "I was suffering at Section 31 and you freed me. For that I am thankful. Do not think I am unable to feel gratitude."

"You're welcome..."

"However, I do not believe your motives pure. You want something from me."

I shook my head. "What could I want from you?"

"I do not know or care. You shall not get it."

"I have no hidden motives. Why don't you believe me?"

He closed his eyes as if in pain. "Because people like you...people good for the sake of other people's well being do not exist. Of all the alien life forms in the galaxy true humanity would be the rarest and strangest alien to find."

"I will prove you wrong."

"I doubt that."

"I will."

"You can not prove me wrong." He let go of my shoulder and paced the room.

"Hmm you think very highly of yourself."

"No. I was designed to be superior. It's what I am made for."

"Superior at what?"

He took a moment, thought about it. "Everything."

"Everything?"

"I am stronger, faster. I have a higher intellect."

"Then...that just makes you faster, stronger and smart, but that doesn't make you better than the rest of the human race."

His hands were curled into tight fists. "Really? Then what in your mind would make me better?" He stopped pacing.

"Better isn't what's important to begin with. What matters is mercy."

"Mercy?"

"I can feel hatred and anger radiating off of you. There is nothing superior about being controlled by anger and revenge. But there is great power in the ability of forgiveness. To forgive those who have wronged you is to truly be free of them."

"Move! Now!"

I sighed and moved away from the door entrance. "You aren't truly free of Section 31 unless you forgive them. Everyone one of them."

He left and slammed the door behind him.


	13. Hope

"We are not going over this again!" Carol sat on the sofa her head pressed in her hands.

"If it wasn't for pointy over here I would still be captain!"

"Was that supposed to be derogatory, captain?"

Kirk threw up his hands. "I am not captain anymore! Because of you."

"You violated the Prime Directive. I had no idea that you would lie on the captain's log. I never met a captain who would."

"Not the same argument again." I closed the door behind me.

When I agreed to live with Carol and her family I had no idea that Kirk, Spock, Bones and Uhura were staying with them too while in London. The Marcus's penthouse was huge, so it was far from crowded. Most of the time I enjoyed their company, except for when Kirk and Spock started fighting. 

"Uhura went to get coffee. The fighting was giving her a headache," Bones mumbled as he sat down on the couch.

"I saved your life! You threw me under the bus. You didn't even care that I would lose...everything."

"I had to follow the rules, captain. You know that."

"Can you please just let it go?" Carol whined.

"No." Kirk's was starting to turn red. "Not until he understands what he did."

I walked over and slumped onto the couch.

Dr. McCoy turned to me. "Hey, have you thought of my offer? We are understaffed at the hospital right now."

"I am still not sure."

"Why are you shouting at me, captain? I only did the right thing. I did what the Prime Directive demanded of me."

I stood up. I had long day, and now I was staring to get a headache. "Ok! You need to stop!" I walked across the living room, and up the stairs. "...arguing like children..." I mumbled under my breath.

"Miss.Swanson, you seem to be holding back emotion. Please, speak freely. We would appreciate another opinion in the matter."

"Really? I am not sure you would want my opinion."

"We welcome it."

"Really?" 

"Of course. " Kirk smiled. 

"Well, it's...it's just that....Spock, it's great you want to follow the rules and all, but there is a difference between what is lawful and what is right."

"Ha!" Kirk said, "she agrees with me."

"Not entirely...you don't always do the most...smart thing, but who am I to judge. I have never been a captain, nor will I ever be."

"What are you trying to convey Miss. Swanson?" Spock stepped closer to me.

"That...you hurt Kirk's feelings. He saved your life. It meant nothing to you...it reflects your feelings towards him. How you don't value your friendship. If you can't understand why he saved you, then you don't understand the value he puts on your friendship." I shrugged. "At least that's the way Kirk sees it." My face started to grow warm. All eyes were on me and I felt uncomfortable. 

"Coffee is here." Uhura opened the front door, slammed it, and then shoved the tray of coffee into Kirk's hand.

She stormed passed me, up the stairs. Her high ponytail swaying back and forth as she moved. She slammed the door when she got to her room, it echoed through the penthouse. 

"Wow, she is more heated than that volcano on Nibiru," Dr. McCoy said as he got up and reached for his coffee from Kirk.

"See, she is angry with you too," Kirk said to Spock.

"You will never agree..." Carol commented.

I walked up the flight of stairs and entered my room, locking the door behind me. I slunk to the floor, sitting down with my back up against the door. It had been a long day, and the stress of it was finally hitting me.

There were still so many questions unanswered. Who was Khan? Why did section 31 have him? Why perform experiments on him? Why is he superior? Who designed him to be superior? 

My greatest fear was that he would take revenge on Section 31. But how could he harm an organization that is seemingly untouchable? His plans would fail. 

My head was really starting to ache from all the stress. So much had happened. I didn't know who I coukd trust. 

Carol's father was corrupt, that was for sure. That terrified me. I was living with him and his family! If he found out that I let Khan go free...he could kill or torture me. 

I didn't want to cry, but as of late it seemed to be happening a lot. The tears fell in rapid procession. I wiped my face with the sleeve of my shirt. I was afraid. I didn't want to die. 

I had to tell someone the admiral's secret. 

Kirk? No. He could work for Section 31! Anyone could be on there payroll. 

Spock? No. He is all for the rules. However, that could be a bad thing, especially if he is bound to Starfleet and StarFleet is protected by Section 31. 

I felt so trapped. 

I reached into by briefcase and pulled out the blonde wig I used to cover my black hair. I got up and stuffed the wig in a locked box under my bed. Only I had the combination to it.

The night was warm so I walked out onto my balcony. The view of London was absolutely stunning, and wonderful. However, it made me feel small and alone. Even around Carol, Kirk and Spock, I felt different--left out even. Perhaps I was just never really comfortable with myself. I felt that loneliness so keenly tonight. I missed my father.

"Dad, if you were here you would know what to do."

How I wished he was around to guide me. Guilt welled up inside me, knowing all to well that I was the one who unlawfully sent him to prison.

I sat on a chair, with my PADD in hand, the wind blowing my hair in my face. I tucked the stray strand behind my ear. 

1 New Message. 

I opened my email. My world froze. It just stood still. I read and re-read the email. My hands shook, my body shook...I couldn't stand properly. My legs felt like jello.

I reached the railing of the balcony and crumbled to my knees. My forehead was pressed against the glass balcony. My sobs were so deep and heavy they shook my entire form.

My father was coming home! 

My father's lawyer had emailed me to inform me that my father had been released on good behaviour. He had saved a guard's life when a riot broke out and the other prisoners' attacked the guard. 

I laughed and cried, and a stillness settled upon me. 

I opened my eyes and looked out on London, the lights twinkled against the black sky. There was hope.


	14. Violet Eyes

"Your eyes are violet?" Dr. McCoy leaned in closer to me, to get a better look at my eyes.

I covered my face. "Huh. What? No. Shhh....you can't tell anyone!" I whispered.

It was early the next morning. I was so happy that I was going to see my father soon that I had forgotten to put on my brown coloured contacts. 

I stood in the hallway still in my hello kitty PJs. My dark hair a tangled mess.

He pulled my hands away from my face. "Why?"

Because on every wanted poster it states that I have purple eyes!

"Because people look at me and glare at me. Kind of like you are doing right now. It's just a genetic defect, that's all. So stop staring...please."

"Sorry."

"Mhhm."

"Have you been crying?"

"No."

He paused and considered what I said. "Are you ready for your shift at the hospital?"

"I never agreed to it."

"But you were going to."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Just give me a moment to brush my hair...and eat some toast."

***

"That's her, the Lucille Hardwood. That dying little girl. Poor thing. " I stood outside of her hospital room looking in through the window. 

"I know she is so young, she should have her entire life in front of her," Dr. McCoy said.

"No change in her condition?"

He shook his head. 

I felt emotion rising in me, chocking off my words. "Its...its..."

"Its terrible. I know, but you can offer comfort to the family." 

"Yeah. I can try." 

"Her IV needs replacing. You can do that before the end of your shift." 

"Ok."

Dr. McCoy walked down the hall.

I took a deep breath and entered the little girl's hospital room.

Her parents sat across the room in two chairs. They didn't even acknowledge me as I entered.

"It's all useless, isn't it!" Thomas Hardwood said in whispers to his wife. "The article was pointless. All we have is false hope; stupid Vulcan home remedies that are useless." He grabbed his wife's PADD from her hands.

"Thomas." 

"There is no cure out there!" He smashed the PADD on the ground and then kicked it against the wall.

"Don't raise your voice. You will upset her," his wife pleaded as she got up. She stood next to her daughter, stroking the little girl's cheek.

"She is unconscious. She can't hear me."

"She may be able to hear you..."

Both of them finally noticed me. "There is a lot we don't know about the mind well it is in a coma. She may be able to hear you."

"So?" Tears were forming in Mr. Harewood's eyes. "She can't respond. I will never see her smile again, or hear her call me daddy. Her dream of joining Starfleet will never be realized." 

"Don't give up hope. Not yet."

"Why? Has there suddenly been a cure discovered? No. There hasn't."

"But she may be able to hear you, and if she hears you giving up hope, then she will become afraid and lose the will to live." I swallowed hard, trying not to cry. "You never know when the next cure could be discovered. It could be tomorrow for all we know. Wouldn't it be horrid if found that cure...but she had given up the will to live. The will to let herself heal?"

He sighed and bowed and head, tears free-falling from his eyes. "Fine. I won't give up...because I love her more than life itself."

***

My hands were shaking. Literly shaking. I couldn't get them to stop.

"The...police aren't looking for me anymore!"

My father's lawyer, Mr. Hailor, asked to meet me for coffee early the next day. We sat in a little coffee shop by the window. 

"Why? How? Don't they still suspect that I had something to do with the data robbing?"

"Your father serverd time, and saved a guard, the courts are satisfied with that."

"It seems...odd to me. That they would just let me go, free and clear."

He chuckled. "Really? You? You are always so hopeful in the face of adversity. This is the very stuff you believe in."

"I am? Really? Me? You are talking about me? I am nothing but a bundle of nerves."

He wiped the pie crumbs off of his grey moustache with a napik. "I have known you all your life, Ella-Violet, trust me, you have strength in you."

"If I have any strength in me it is because of my father. He taught me that."

"I know. He will be happy to see how strong you have become."

"Really? You really think that he would?"

"Of course. You know he forgives you right? He was happy to take your punishment because he loves you."

"I...just find it hard to believe, after everything I have done, that he could still love me."

"He does, Ella, he loves you more than anything." He reached out and place his hand in mine, giving my hand a squeeze. 

"Is his ship still grounded?"

"The Redemption will have its licences reinstated soon. Your father has decided to change his name for the time being for his safety and yours. So you won't be judge so harshly. There are people still angry about the leak."

"When will he be out?"

He smiled. "Tomorrow."

"W-What?"

"He will be out tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!" I placed my hands over my face to hide my tears. This crying thing had to stop. "I am glad he is out, but...I am not ready to see him. I still feel such shame. How can I look him in the eye?"

Mr. Hailor leaned forward. "You will do just fine. He will be so happy to see you, and to see how far you have come. To know that you are a nurse and you are helping people; that is the very heart of everything he believed in."

"I know."

"Send him an email tonight of where and when you want to meet. I will pick him up from the prison and drop him off. Okay."

"This all sees so surreal."

"Ella, it's real."


	15. The Terrorist: Part 1

"Admiral, you are back from your trip early." I stood at the front door with my backpack slung over my shoulder, ready to go to work at the hospital. "No one told me you were home."

He smiled, and somehow something felt wrong about it. "I got home late last night. There was...an emergency breach at one of our facilities a few days ago. "

"Oh. Sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. You look...dressed up to day."

"Oh, I am going to see a family member I haven't seen in a while. So I thought I would dress for the occasion. You know, put a little extra make-up on..."

"I see."

"Yes...was there something you wanted to say to me?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure you are well, and enjoying your time here."

"Yes. I am good."

"Glad to hear."

"Dad!" Carol ran down the stairs. "I didn't know you were home."

"Carol darling, how have you been?" He embraced her.

"I have been trying to reach you." She frowned. "There is something I have been meaning to ask you about one of your new projects. Its the one regarding the torpedoes."

The admiral glanced over his shoulder at me. His features riged and cold. "Carol, let's talk about this in my office." He lead her up the stairs. 

***

I walked towards Lucille Harewood's room, there was a loud beeping coming from one of her monitors. 

"What's happening? Her heart rate is elevated."

Thomas Harewood was standing there, his face wet from recently shed tears. "It worked."

"She is recovering!" I looked to at her IV bag, there was a faint pink liquid in it. "What did you give her?"

"She is better. She is going to live." He started to laugh through his tears. It was pure joy, and it was heart rendering.

"How? Mr.Harewood, you need to listen to me, how did Lucille recover?" I placed my hands on his shoulders. "I checked her only an hour ago. You and I both know that she wasn't doing well. Now her cells are regenerating and she is healing. Whatever you gave her...it could be the cure for this disease."

"I...I cannot tell you."

"What do you mean? You have to tell me. Don't you realize how serious this is? This could save millions of lives!"

He shook his head and walked over to the window, looking out at the city. "I don't know where the cure came from. It was given to me at a cost...a very high cost that I have yet to pay. One that will I will never be able to pay for again."

"What is that supposed to mean?" 

He walked over to his daughter and kissed her on the head. "Forgive me Lucille. Know that I love you," he whispered. 

"Where are you going?"

"Work. I have to go to work." He was heading towards that door, and then turned to glance back at me. "Please, take care of her." He left.

I wanted to follow him but Lucille's monitors were beeping, and she was starting to wake from her coma. 

***

"This is a life sized replica of a warp core..." The tour guide's voice faded out. I did a double take across the museum. It was Thomas Harewood, standing by a model of the first ever spaceship designed with warp capabilities. 

"I have to use the washroom," I whispered to Zara, the other nurse watching the children on their day trip to the Starfleet museum. 

"Ok," she whispered back.

I walked across the room and grabbed Thomas Harwood by the shoulder. "What are you doing here?"

His eyes widened. "Lucille...she was so excited to here about this museum opening. I told her I would take her to see it."

"She will see it. She is recovering."

"She won't see it with me. Not like I promised." He played with a ring in his fingers. He seemed to be in a daze.

"What are you talking about?"

He glanced over my shoulder ; I could see the blood run from his face. "What are you all doing here? Why are the children from the hospital here?"

"Those are the children near recovery. We take them out on day trips when they feel well enough. They wanted to see the museum. Soon Lucille will be well enough to go with them." 

"No. You have to leave. Now! All of you must go."

"No. Not until you tell me why you look so terrified. Tell me what is going on. Now."

"I can't."

"Then I am not leaving with the children."

"They will die if I don't leave."

"What?" 

"You just have to leave."

"No. You have to trust me. Whatever trouble you are in I can help you out of."

"Look...I made a deal with a man. He gave me a serum of some sort to heal my daughter and in return I have to do something for him."

"What?"

"I work at the...Kelvin Memorial Archive next door. When I get there I have to..." He held up the ring between his index finger and thumb. "I have to put this ring into a glass of water. It will explode once it dissolves."

"Why would anyone do such a horrible thing?"

"I have to dissolve the ring in less than a half an hour. I will be dead soon and never see my little girl again."

"Yes, and everyone here is going to die, and their family's will be grieving them."

"I have to do it or he may harm my family."

"Ok. Let me think."A thousand thoughts ran threw my mind. "Fine. You are going to do what he says. I have a plan."


	16. The Terrorist: Part 2

"What plan?"

"Listen. I have a way to make all the fire alarms go off. The place will be evacuated by the time the explosive goes off."

"How?"

"Listen, don't put the ring in a full glass of water. Only put it in a small amount. This will give us extra time and the impact of the explosive will be less damaging. Okay."

He nodded. "Okay."

"Leave the alarms up to me."

***

I sat at the museum coffee shop. To anyone else I looked totally inconspicuous with my my coffee and my Hello Kitty PADD.

So far I had hacked into the security of all large buildings in the area. 

I took a sip of coffee and then placed it back on the table. "Here we go."

The alarms blared like crazy. Red lights flashed everywhere. An automated voice was heard through out the museum. "Evacuate immediately!" I looked out the window to see people pouring out into the streets, running away.

The artifacts of the museum had a self protection system. A large square opening appeared in the ground, and the artifacts would slowly descend down into a protected metal vault. 

I put my PADD in my backpack and ran with a crowd, out of the coffee shop.

There was a giant red alarm leaver against a light post on the street. I smashed the glass covering and pulled the leaver. The street lights flashed red, warning everyone to not only leave the buildings but the area of the city.

I found my group standing by the entrance of the museum. 

"Zara, we have to leave." 

"I can't find little Lilly!" There was a wild panic in her eyes.

It felt like a cold stone had just dropped into my stomach. "Go. Take the kids out of this area. I will find Lilly."

I glanced at my watch. Five minutes until the bomb went off. Lilly was no where to be found.

I turned a corner. "Lilly!" I grabbed the screaming child in my hands, and picked her up off the floor.

There was no time to leave! 

A telescope was slipping into the ground. I jumped into the metal compartment. It sealed above our heads. 

The compartments were designed to protect the muesum's treausres. If there was ever an epidemic, and the human race was wiped out, those that found our planet could see how we lived. We would be remembered.

I wondered how long our oxygen would last in the small metal compartment, not made to house a nurse and a screaming child. 

Suddenly I felt the entire metal room shake. Then there was darkness.


	17. Aftermath

My eyes fluttered open. I squinted against the blinding light. 

An oxygen mask was placed against my face. 

The was a buzzing in my head and dizziness. 

I saw great grey clouds of smoke and rubble. Metal beams were warped at crude angles. 

***

"Miss. Swanson. Can you hear me? 

"Lilly...where..." the words felt lost on my lips, like I couldn't say them. I couldn't grasp them. 

I jolted up right in bed. I was in the hallway of the hospital. There were several people line up on gurneys. Blood was poring from scapes all over their bodies. Nurese and doctors were frantically shouting medical jargon at each other. 

"Miss. Swanson." I looked up the nurse. "My name is Ariel."

"Where is Lilly?"

"Lilly is doing fine." She smiled. "A little frightened but ok. You saved her."

I collapsed back onto the bed. "Thank God."

"You are doing well. You just needed a little oxygen."

I nodded. "Where is my backpack?"

"Here." She pick it up off the floor handed it to me.

Suddenly I saw a familiar face go by. "Dr. McCoy! What are you doing here? Is anyone we know hurt?"

"No. Not that I know of. But the hospitals are flooded with the wounded. We need all hands on deck."

"I can help." I went to sit up, but I was overcome by dizziness. 

H placed his hand on my shoulder. "You are a patient right now. You need to rest." He turned to Ariel. "You are needed in ER."

"Ok." She nodded and ran down the hall.

"I wish I could help," 

"Rest first. You are just a little light headed, but you will be fine. I will check on you later." The doctor dashed down the hallway. He was followed by the paramedics as they rushed a man on a gurney towards the ER.

I leaned back in my bed and put my backpack on my lap. I pulled out my PADD. I was glad to see it was not damaged. 

I checked my email.

There was one from my father's lawyer, Mr. Hailor.

I opened it.

Hi Violet, 

I know you wanted to meet with your father later this evening at that   
restaurant, but your father wanted to surprise you. We went to the hospital but found out that you went to the Starfleet museum with a group of children. You father and I are heading there now. I hate to ruin the surprise, but I know how you don't like to cry in public. I know you wouldn't want to break down in front of your colleagues. I am giving you a heads up so you have time to prepare yourself.   
I am parked at a flower shop now. He is picking out a bouquet of flowers for you. We should be there soon. I did call, but you didn't answer your cell. 

-Mr. Hailor

No trees were destroyed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

My father was near thought if the explosion. 

"No," I whispered. I wanted to scream, but there was no point! The sound of the crowded hallway would drown it out. I through my PADD in my backpack, and then slung the backpack on.

I got up. Everything around me didn't feel real. I felt like I was floating on nothingness.   
When I got to the registration desk there was lady rapidly typing info into a computer. Her face was scrunched and she was biting an electronic pencil.

"Excuse me...do you know if you have a patient recently admitted?"

She took the pencil out of her mouth. "Take a look around dear, the entire city is here."

"Is Philip Kin--I mean Philip Swanson here?"

"Let me give it a look." She pushed her cat eye glasses to the tip of her nose, and eyed be over the rim of her glasses. "You a relation?"

"I am his daughter."

She began typing. 

Waiting was pure agony.

"Yes. He is here."

"What?"

"He just got out of the OR and is in room 221A."

I ran through the hospital. Pushing passed people. 

"Dear you can't run..." 

His room came into view.

"No..no!" 

He was black and blue. He was hooked up to several monitors, and a breathing machine. His head was wrapped in white gauze. 

I turned to the doctor in the room. "Why isn't he breathing on his own?"

"Do you know him?"

"I am his daughter!"

"I am doctor Vance Lockwell. I performed the surgery on him."

"Violet! What are you doing?" I turned around to see Dr. McCoy standing there. Carol Spock, Kirk and Uhura were there as well.

"Why are you all here?"

"We heard you were hurt in the bomb. So we came to check up on you," Uhura said. 

"Really?"

"Yes. Of course," Spock said. "Do you have reason to believe we would lie?"

"Spock, that's not what she meant." Kirk shook his head.

"Stop," Carol demanded. "Can't you see something is wrong with her."

I turned to doctor Lockwell. "What is wrong with my dad?"

"He was near the Starfleet museum when the explosion occurred. A brick went fly threw that air and hit him in the head."

"But he is okay...right? He will be fine?"

The doctor looked down. "We had to operate because a piece of his skull was fractured and got pushed into his brain--"

"No!" I almost fainted. Dr. McCoy caught me in his arm before I hit the ground. "He is...he is brain dead, isn't he?"

The doctor didn't answer. He mouth gaped, trying to find the words.

Blind grief and rage consumed me. I burst into a torrent of tears. "Say it!" I lunged for the doctor. Dr.McCoy grabbed me in mid leap. My legs lifted off the ground and my arms outstretched, trying to tear into the doctor. "Say it! You coward! Say it!"

Dr.McCoy pulled me out of the room, and into the hall. I struggled, and fought against him until I was on the ground, pounding against his chest. "No! No, no no..."

He grabbed my hands and pulled me towards him, into his chest. He held me tightly. "He c-can't be d-dead. He can't be. He can't. No" I sobbed. It hurt to speak. "He was punished--he didn't d-deserve to to....to have his life taken. He never got to be happy. It's not fair! He just wanted to be h-happy. He just wanted to...t-to love m-mee..."

"It's going to be okay."

"I wanted to say, say, say s-sorry again. I will never get to tell him I loved him. He loved me...all he, he did was love me. It's not right. It's all my fault..."

"This isn't your fault."

"Let me go! I want to go. I-I can't be in th-this place. It...smells like chemicals, and it's....too bright. And he is dead. He is in there."

"You shouldn't be alone."

"I need to go. I need to be alone."

He loosened his hold on me. "I don't think--"

"Please...please, I am begging you. Please."

"I think it would be wise to do as she said, doctor."

I looked up at Spock. His eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Kirk, Carol and Spock let their tears free fall.

Dr. McCoy let go of me. I stood and my legs almost gave way beneath me. 

"Are you sure..."

"Please."

Leaving the hospital was a dizzy blur of hallways, elevators and exits.

It was grey and raining outside, but I didn't care. I just needed to get away from that place.

I ran until my legs hurt and I was out of breath. I didn't know where I was going but I didn't care. I just wanted to, to run until all my pain was left behind, until the sun rises and sets a million times and I've grown old, and with time the pain as healed. I kept running, hoping just to run off the edge of the earth to a different galaxy, to a different world, one where my father wasn't brain dead.

My chest ached as I panted for air. I leaned up against brick wall and steadied myself. I felt this ache inside of me, and no amount of running was going to make it go away. Suddenly I needed him; I needed to see my dad and hold him.

***

The hospital was more quiet now. I could hear the slow rhythmic sound of the machine monitoring my dad's vitals. I looked over at a chair in his room where there was a bouquets of dying white tulips. They were wrapped in a cone of purple cellophane. 

I picked them up and held them to my chest. "Oh, dad. Why?" They were the flowers he had bought me on the way to the museum.

I took my backpack off and put it on the floor, near my dad's bed. I climbed into his bed and hugged him, my head resting against his chest. It hurt so much to hear his heart beating, to know part of him was alive, but the rest was dead.

"Dad," I cried into his chest. "I-I love you. I am sorry. Forgive me."


	18. John Harrison

My eyes fluttered open.

"Miss. Swanson, you fell asleep and you were falling off the bed," Mr. Spock said. He placed his hand on my back trying to push me onto the bed.

"Not very logical of me, eh?"

"Any logic is hard to grasp hold of in the midst of grief."

"You are so strong. How do you do it?"

"What?"

"To feel so much emotion and never show it. To remain calm in the face of adversity."

"There is strength in remaining calm, but there is also great bravery in showing emotion and not being afraid to be vulnerable ."

"You feel a lot don't you? People think you don't feel, but you feel more than anyone. That is why you don't show it. So you don't lose control..."

"Your observational skills are very well developed, Miss. Swanson."

I stood up. Spock handed me my backpack and help me put it on.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

We walked towards the door. I still clutched the white tulips to my chest, the purple cellophane crinkling beneath my arms. 

"She is no where ready to discuss that." Dr. McCoy was saying to Dr. Lockwell.

"Discuss what?"

"Taking your father off life support. I know it seems like he is alive--he looks like it, but really he is dead. The sooner you really let him go the sooner you can start the grieving processes and heal."

"I am ready to talk about it."

"Good, now--"

"No."

"What?"

"The answer is no. I understand that you are trying to help, and I am sorry for nearly scratching off your face earlier, but the answer is no. I will not take him off life-support. I am a nurse. I know well enough of his condition, but I will not give up hope. Perhaps one day there will be a way to bring him back. To make him well. Weather it's five days from now or ten years. I will not deny him that hope." 

***

I stood outside the door of the boardroom. All Starfleet captains and first officers were gathered at The DayStorm Institute in London. Technically I wasn't supposed to be there, but I begged Carol to speak to her father for me and allow me to attend the meeting.

He had one condition, that I would leave the Royal Children's Hospital and be a nurse on the Enterprise. He said I was a hero, that though many were injured I still saved lives by pulling that alarm leaver on the light post.

No one had any idea that I used my hacking program to set off the rest of the alarms ; to everyone that was still a mystery. The media was calling it a miracle. However, the police questioned me, wondering how I new about the future explosion. I told them that Thomas Harewood told me at the last minute, which was true. Thomas did have enough time to escape, and has been missing since.

I saw Spock and Kirk, they seemed to be having an argument. "You guys are fighting, still, at a time like this."

"Our argument by no means belittles the importance of this meeting," Spock said.

A captain walked up to us and turned to Spock, "I am Captain Abbott of the U.S.S Bradbury. You are with me."

"Yes, I was just recently informed of the changes."

"Guys is looks like the meeting is about to start," Kirk said.

Kirk and I followed Spock and and Captain Abbott into the room.

"The Bradbury," I whispered to Kirk. "Sounds like a brand name for granola bars."

He smiled. "You can be sarcastic at a time like this?"

"I can't help it. I got it from my dad." 

He reached over and squeezed my forearm. 

I sat beside Kirk at the large oval table.

My stomach was flip-flopping on the inside. I felt so uncomfortable with myself. I felt so intimidated. Everyone was in uniform and I was not. Everyone belonged here, and I didn't really. 

My legs kept bouncing silently under the desk. Trying to contain my nerves was no easy task. For the past two days I had been running on impulse, and now that I had time to think, a million questions were swarming my mind.

Why did Admiral Marcus want me on the Enterprise? Why did he allow me to come to the meeting when regulation states it's only for captains and first officers? I didn't trust it. I didn't trust him, but I had to be here. I wanted to know who blew up Section 31 and why. 

My first fear was that Khan had done it, but that was dispelled when Kirk told me that it was a former Starfleet commander name John Harrison.

Who was he? Why did he do such a heartless thing? Why? There had to be a reason.

I heard Admiral Marcus say my name.

"Miss. Swanson will be a medic aboard the Enterprise. As you are all aware she was the one to pull the alarm, warning everone of the impeding danger. She also ran back inside the Starfleet museum to save a little girl's life. During times like these we need brave people like Miss.Swanson on our team."

Kirk applauded and so did everyone else in the room. 

"Thank you," I said timidly. 

"Miss. Swanson is not only a hero, but a victim as well, " the admiral addressed everyone, then looked at me. "We know that your father is brain dead do to the explosion. Which is why I agreed to have you here, Miss.Swanson. Not only are you a hero but you represent everyone who is suffering do to this act of terrorism."

My legs were still shaking, and my heartbeat drumming in my ears. 

"Which brings us to the man who is responsible for this act if terrorism. Commander John Harrison."

I picked up the back PADD in front of me, and touched the screen. It lit up revealing a photo of John Harrison. 

"...For reasons unknown John Harrison has just declared a one-man war on Starfleet..."

The admiral's voice faded in and out. The room was swaying. 

Now Kirk was saying something, but I couldn't concentrate.

I zoomed into a picture of John Harrison at the sight of the explosion. I was still in disbelief. It couldn't be him! It could be Khan. That would mean...I released him; I was partly responsible for the bombing. 

"No. No. NO!" My hands shook. I stood up and dropped the laptop on the ground. I backed up and pushed my chair aside. I backed further and further away till my back hit a wall. 

"Miss.Swanson!" The Admiral said.

Everyone was staring at me, and say thing things, but I couldn't concentrate.

What had Khan said?

I will get them all in a room and make them pay.

There was a red light beaming in through the window.

Kirk stood. "Clear the room!"

Shots fired in through the window. Glass broke. Sparks flew. There was screaming! Wretched sad pitiful screaming.

I was frozen in spot. I couldn't move. I didn't know where to move. My eyes shut tight in fear. 

I was going to die.


	19. Jagged and Broken

"Violet! Move." Kirk pushed me aside just before a laser flashed through the room and the wall exploded behind me. 

"Violet, are you okay?" He yelled over the roar of destruction. 

"Yes."

"Come on." He grabed my hand and we darted across the room, avoiding flying debris. 

Kirk picked up a rifle a security guard had dropped. We hid behind a post. Kirk leaned forward and shot through an open window at the Jumpship. It did nothing to hinder Khan's revenge.

"It's not working!" I yelled over the roar of gun fire.

"I have an idea!" 

He darted over to a glass case that held a fire hose. Frantically he started elbowing the glass till it broke. 

I watched as Kirk tied the rifle to the fire hose. He flung the rifle and the hose through a window, and it shattered. The gun landed in the Jumpship's starboard cylindrical air intake. 

The sucking force of the ship's intake was pulling the hose from the wall. I could see the cement starting to crack. 

"Kirk!" I ran and leapt, pushing Kirk out of the way as the hose and a large chunk of the wall flung over our heads and out the window. 

"Are you okay?"

Nothing

I felt his pulse. It was strong but he was unconscious. 

"Help!" I stood up, hoping to find Spock or a guard. 

There was smoke and confusion. 

The window before me was jagged with broken shards of glass. The large Jumpship struggled to stay in the air. It was like a large black dragon, screeching and groaning. Its weapons were lighting up. 

Khan was planning one last fire before his ship went down.

He was aiming his weapon at me.

We made eye contact. 

The weapons were about to fire. 

I am going to die. 

"Khan, no! Please!" I new he didn't recognize me, or hear me. It was useless. 

A the last moment he randomly swung the ship around, so the blast didn't hit me, but a random part of the building.

I glanced over down the hall. The blast shot through the window and hit Captain Pike right in the chest. 

"No!"

I turned to glance at the Jumpship as it hit the side of the building and crashed below.

Khan must be dead.


	20. QO' NOS: PART 1

"W-What happened?" Kirk sat up, his hands pressing against his forehead.

"It's over." 

He stood up, a little wobbly at first.

"Captain Pike has been hit."

"What?" He glanced across the room and saw Spock leaning over the injured captain.

Kirk rushed across the room. I followed, careful not to slip on any glass. 

"Is he...?" I feared the worse.

Spock didn't answer. 

Kirk knelt down beside the captain, and I did as well. "Captain Pike, can you hear me? I am nurse Swanson. You have been injured and I am going to help you."

He stared, blankly. He turned to Kirk and then his eyes closed. 

"No," I whispered.

"What are you doing? Save him!" Kirk was close to begging me.

I felt for a pulse. There was none. I ripped open the men's jacket to fine a gaping wound over his heart. I couldn't even perform CPR because of the wound. "Kirk, I am sorry...he is gone."

Kirk sobbed and grasped the captain's shoulder. "There has to be something you can do."

"There might be..." I stood up and walked to the door where Admiral Marcus was hiding by the doorframe. He was yelling orders at the paramedics. 

"Admiral."

He ignored me or didn't hear me over the shouting and alarms. 

"Admiral!"

"What?"

"The Cyrostasis chamber from the museum. Is it still functional?"

His brows furrowed, making his forehead wrinkle. "Yes. Why?"

"Where is it being stored while the museum is being rebuilt?"

"In a storage area in the basement of this building with the rest of the artifacts. Does this have any relevance to the utter chaos that is happening here?"

"Yes. You need to bring that chamber up here and put Captain Pike's body in it to preserve him."

"He is already dead!"

Kirk and Spock walked up to join the conversation. 

"Yes, but if we put Captain Pike in Cyrostasis it will preserve his body. If the regenerative serum that cured Lucille Harewood can be found, then perhaps we could use it on Captain Pike, but not if his body decays." 

The captain consider this. "Fine."

He gave the orders to bring up the chamber put Captain Pike into a cryogenic sleep. 

***

I took hold of vase on my nightstand and smashed it to the ground. The whilting white tulips rested in a puddle of water and glass. My hands shook. I took hold of the nightstand itself and bashed it against the wall, the legs broke and I dropped the table to the ground. 

My fist burst into pain when I smashed my hand into the wall. I slunk to the floor and cried. Rage shook my body.

My door flung open. "What's going on?" Carol shouted.

"You!" I stood. "You know what's going on. I didn't want bring it up...I didn't want to accuse you and hurt your family because you have been kind to me."

She shut the door behind her. "What are you talking about?"

"Section 31! Cyrostasis. 7r remaining. What does it mean?"

Carol's mouth gaped. "I-I don't know."

"Yes. Yes you do. It was on the note the muggers tried to steal from you."

"I took that note from a science officers office because I was curious," Carol whispered. "My father had has always allowed me to help him with his projects, but lately he has shut me out of them. I wanted to know why..."

"So you have no idea what the note meant, Carol?"

"No" She shook her head. "I had completely forgotten that I had the note on me!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"And you haven't figured out what the note means?"

"There may be one thing I understand from the note. 72 remaining. My father has twenty-two prototype torpedoes he is working on. Ones he won't allow me to look at."

"You are a weapon'a specialist. Why wouldn't he let you see them?" I paced the room. "Why would he need them in the first place."

"I don't know. He won't tell me anything." She looked around my disheveled room. "Why did you do this to your room?"

I stopped my pacing. "I am sorry. I know it's not really my room and I shouldn't have damaged it as I did."

Carol took me by the hands. "I don't care about the room. I am just worried about you, Violet."

"Is anyone else home? Haven't they told you yet?"

"No. It's just us here. Tell me what?"

"John Harrison, the man responsible for the acts of terrorism is alive."

"That's impossible. You saw him die in the Jumpship crash." She let my hands go.

"I thought he died, but Mr.Scott found a portable transporting device in the wreckage of the Jumpship. John Harrison is on Qo' noS."

"Perfect. Where we can't go."

"No, we are going. He is hiding in the Ketha province, its uninhabited. The Enterprise is leaving in an hour. I am going to be on it. It's a man hunt. Your father even reinstated Kirk and Spock to the Enterprise."

"Really! I overheard my father this afternoon on the phone. He ordered a payload of torpedoes to be loaded onto the Enterprise."

"You need to come with us, Carol."

"My father won't allow me anywhere near the torpedoes. "

"If you want on that ship I can get you access."

"How?"

"I can't tell you, but I can get you on. Just give me a fake name you want to use."

"Ummm...Carol Wallace."

"Fine. Be ready in an hour. We will have to explain to Spock and Kirk why you have to go by an alias."

"Ok, but that doesn't explain why you are so upset."

"John Harrison...when I thought he was dead I was calm, but now..."

"You don't have to be afraid. We won't let him harm you."

"I am not afraid of him, but myself. I...I hate him and worst of all I hate that he makes me hate him. I don't wont to be a monster bent on revenge, but I feel this rage inside of me."

"It's understandable that you would be angry--"

"But not hateful! I have been hateful before, and I don't want to be that monster again. I won't to be able to...forgive him, John Harrison, that is." 

Carol pressed her lips together in concentration. "Is there anything I can do?"

"No. Not right now. You need to get ready to be on the Enterprise and I need to clean this up."

"Alright, but come to me if you need anything."

"I will."

Once Carol left my room I went on my PADD and created a fake ID and entry form for Carol Wallace to board the Enterprise.

Then I sat on the floor and picked the limp white tulips out of the water. They were the flowers my father gave me. Part of the reason I hated Khan was because of my own guilt. I was the reason my father was in the hospital, and I was the reason he was at the museum that day.

Rage still burned in my heart and I needed a way to quench it. I pressed the flowers to my nose and smelled the white tulips. That's when it hit me. White tulips were a sign of forgiveness. My dad's forgiveness for all the wrong I had done.

My rage started to cool. My body started to calm. Tears fell in streams down my cheeks. If my father could forgive me, then I could forgive Khan.

I got back into my PADD and hacked into the admiral's computer doing a search on the names John Harrison and Khan.

I could forgive Khan. I could help him. 

 

*Keep reading for more Khan chapters!


	21. QO' NOS: PART 2

"Whoa Jim, your vitals are way off!" Dr. McCoy said. 

"Bones! Get that thing off my face!"

Dr. McCoy removed the device. 

"He is not sick," I said. I sat behind Kirk and Spock, with Dr.McCoy beside me. "He is angry. He wants revenge."

"Of course I am angry. Harrison killed Captain Pike. He deserves to be punished."

Spock turned to Kirk. "I agree. However, there is no Starfleet regulation that condemns a man to death. No matter how great the offence. On an entirely different matter of concern firing torpedoes at the Klingon home world--"

"We are firing torpedoes at the Klingons. " Bones nearly dropped his PADD. "Have you lost your mind?"

"The admiral has given us his consent. We don't need to worry about regulation," Kirk said. 

"Regulations aside, what we are doing in morally wrong," Spock said.

"I agree." I spoke up. "We are no better than Harrison. We are going to blow him up and walk away. That's what he did. Set off a bomb and run."

Kirk glanced back at me. "What else do you suggest we do?"

"None of us are heartless enough to go down there and shoot him, or lethally inject him...See the fear in his eyes as he dies. Admiral Pike knows that. That's why he gave us the torpedoes. All you have to do is sit back an unleash explosives on him. Never seeing the blood and him being torn apart. Then we run. I am not comfortable with that. With any of this. He deserves to have a trail."

"We can not do this, captain. It would be wrong," Spock agreed 

"I am not taking ethics lessons from an emotionless robot who--"

"Reverting to childish name-calling suggests you are defensive which means you know I am right. "

"If you don't want to take ethic lessons from Spock, then take them from me." I paused, trying to hold back my emotion. "Harrison is the reason my father is brain dead. I have enough reason to hate him, just as much as you. But...I forgive him."

"You what?" Kirk practically spit out the words in disbelief. 

"I am not saying that what he did was okay. I am saying that I am not going to let anger and hatred run my life, and turn me into a monster....He also cured that little Harewood girl. Don't you want to know what that cure is?"

"Hello boys." Carol took a seat between Kirk and Spock.

"Hello Miss. Wallace," I said.

"Miss Wallice?" Dr. McCoy looked confused. 

"Oh, yeah, by the way guys Carol's father doesn't want her to be on the Enterprise so she kind of snuck on."

"What?" Spock looked alarmed.

"Don't worry,boys. If my father finds out I will get in trouble, not you. Just call me Miss.Wallace."

"Why doesn't he want you here?" Kirk asked Carol.

"It's a long story." Carol smiled. "You just have to trust me."

***

I really shouldn't have tucked my leg at such an odd angle, but then again I was hiding in an empty cargo box, I don't think there is any comfortable position in such a place. 

I could hear shouting, and I felt the ship tilt at awkward angles, and my head banged against the box.

This was all Kirk's fault. He wouldn't allow me to go to Qo'noS. He said it wasn't safe for me being that I hadn't received combat training. I rolled my eyes. Yeah right like pretty boy was going to do any better. So I hid in a cargo box in the ship they were taking to Qo'noS.

The ship landed. I could hear loud angry voices. Klingon voices. We were surrounded. I heard Uhura mention something about them torturing and killing us. Great. Just perfect.

There was silence for very a long period of time. I was debating about getting up and out of the box when I heard gun fire and shouting. My body tensed. I heard rapid footsteps as everyone left the ship.

I waited a few moments and then got out of the cargo box.

"Oh no." I glanced out the window. The Klingons were attacking Uhura, Spock and Kirk. Suddenly I noticed a hooded figure shooting at the Klingons. 

Kirk was fighting off a Klingon and losing. The hooded figure was busy shooting down a Klingon ship with a very large gun.

I grabbed by phaser from my back pocket and headed out of the ship, straight into battle. The sound was deafening, making my head hurt.

Kirk was on the ground and the Klingon on was above him, with his foot on his throat. I aimed and shot the Klingon down. 

"Violet! What are you doing here?" I helped Kirk up.

"I needed to be here!" I yelled over the roar of the gun fire.

"Look out!" Uhura cried.

Kirk and I got out of the way just in time. A Klingon shot in our direction, dirt and brick flew everywhere. 

I hid behind a tall mound and waited for the dust to settle. I could see a figure on the ground. It was Kirk! He hadn't gotten away. He had been knocked out.

I ran towards him. A pain radiated across my shoulder. I fell to the ground, dropping my phaser, it broke when it hit the ground. My arm was bleeding. I looked up too see the hooded figure above he. He pulled off his mask. It was Khan.

"You shot me! Why?"

"I wasn't aiming for you." He grabbed me by my arm and hoisted me up just in time. A Klingon shot on the ground where I had fallen.

Khan shot down the Klingon. 

"Come on." He dragged me. 

"No!" I dug in my heels. 

"Come now. The Klingons are sending reinforcements."

"Let her go," Kirk mumble. 

Khan lifted me up with one arm and darted away.

We finally came to a small cave. He set me down.

"What are you doing?"

He tore my jacket off, revealing my bloody shoulder. It stung so bad I thought it would fall off.

Khan pulled a knife out of his boot. 

"What...no! Don't kill me." I started to back up.

"I am not." He cut off the sleeve of my jacket and then tied it around my soar shoulder.

"That hurts."

"It will stop the bleeding." He pushed me into the tiny stone cave. "Once it is silent you may come out. Don't move till then." He handed me the knife. "Use this to defend yourself should a Klingon come by."

"Wait. Why did you bring me here?"

"You couldn't fight when you were not injured I doubt you will be able to now. However, I don't have time to babysit you."

He left. I closed my eyes and listened until the sound of fighting stopped. I crawled out of the small cave and stood. My arm still stung, but the bleeding had stopped. The wound wasn't that deep.

I carefully tried to remember which way Khan had taken me. 

"Where is she? Why is there blood on your hands? What did you do to Violet." Uhura was shouting.

Khan was walking rapidly towards them. He pulled his hood down, revealing his face.

"He helped me." I closed the clasp knife he had given me and out it in the front pocket of my pants.

Kirk, Spock and Uhura glanced over at me. I walked up beside them.

"How many torpedos are there?" He pointed his gun at us.

"Stand down." Spock order, pointing his gun at Khan. 

Khan shot the gun out of Spock's hands.

"The torpedoes! The weapons you threatened me with in your message. How many are there?"

"Seventy two," I said.

He took a moment, considered this new information, and then dropped the gun at Spock's feet. "I surrender."

Spock picked up the gun.

Kirk struggled but managed to get to his feet. "On behalf of my friend, Christopher Pike. I accept you surrender."

Kirk swung back his arm hard and slammed it into Khan's face. Khan seemed unfazed.

Kirk repeatedly hit Khan. All the while Khan didn't even raise his hands to defend himself. 

"Captain!" Uhura screamed.

"Captain," Khan repeated in a tone of disbelief.

This drove Kirk mad.

Kirk grabbed onto Khan's head and started to knee him in the stomach. 

This time Khan grimced and clutched his stomach. There was blood on Kirk's knee. 

"Kirk, you need to stop," I whispered. 

He didn't. Khan started chocking and wheezing for air.

"He is wounded. If he has a puncture lung you could kill him." 

Kirk didn't pay attention to me. He kicked Khan again.

Khan put up his hands. "Please. Please....I surrendered. Please..." He wheezed out and fell to his knees.

Kirk stopped mid-blow as he realized what he had done. He was breathing heavily. "Cuff him."

He walked away. 

Spock cuffed him and we headed back to the ship. 

I looked over at Khan. It was a struggle for him to stand up right and walk. He had obviously been wounded by a Klingon. Kirk couldn't have caused such an injury by meerly hitting him. 

However, if Kirk had made the injury worse he would be partly responsible for Khan's death.


	22. The Enterprise

When we got back to the small ship I offered to take a look at Khan's wound, but he rufused. 

I ended up sitting next to him on the way back to the Enterprise. 

It was incredibly awkward and silent. I only had the stinging of my grazed shoulder to distract me from the awkwardness.

"If silence could kill," Khan said. "You are not good at hiding your pure hatred of me. Especially you, captain."

"Shut. Your. Mouth," Kirk said.

"I don't hate you." I didn't look at Khan, I kept my gaze forward, staring at the wall. 

"Violet, is the exception," Kirk said.

"It is you, isn't it?" Khan whispered in my ear.

I felt a chill run up my spine.

"You don't know how much that means," Kirk said. "The fact that she does not hate you."

"Kirk!" I warned. I wasn't emotionaly prepared to get into this.

Khan leaned forward slightly in his seat. I thought he was trying to escape. "Hey!"

His face was pale and he seemed to be in a daze. 

"How long before we get back to the Enterprise?" I asked.

"Exactly thirty-three minutes and fifty-two seconds," Spock said.

"Mr. Harrison I am going to check your wound. Ok."

He said nothing. 

I reached forward and opened his jacket. He watched my every move with unease and suspicion. 

I lifted up his shirt.

"I pulled out the stitches," he whispered, his words were slurred. 

My heart was racing. 

He tried to push my hand away. "Don't. I need to look," I said.

"The wounds have healed already."

"That's impossible." I lifted his shirt to reveal large gashes that were closing. "What are you?"

"A...A remnant of a time long pass..." He was losing consciousness. His eyes half closing.

I grabbed his face, not unkindly. "Listen! You need to listen to me."

He snapped open his eyes. 

"Do your fingers or limbs feel numb?"

"Yes."

"Do you feel cold?"

"Very"

"Kirk, is there a first aid here?"

"On the back wall," Uhura answered before Kirk could.

I opened the first aid and found what I needed.

"What is your blood type?"

He looked up at me through the black hair falling in his face. "I don't have one."

"What?"

"I don't have one." 

"So you could take a transfusion with someone who has a B blood type?"

He rested the back of his head against the wall. "I could."

"Your body wouldn't outright reject it."

He shook his head. "No. It wouldn't"

I set up a transfusion line and bag and pump, on my vacant seat. I started drawing my own blood. 

"What are you doing?" Kirk looked back, bewildered. 

"Trying to do my job."

He shook his head.

Once the small bag was filled with blood I removed the needle and added a new one to the line. 

"Mr. Harrison, I have to give you a transfusion. Though you may be healing you still have lost a large quantity of blood. I don't have any diseases, but there is still a risk you could catch a disease that I have and may be unaware of. Your body may also reject the transfusion. Do I have your consent?"

He didn't answer. I touched his hand, he was growing colder my the minute. "Do I have your consent?"

"I surrendered. Do whatever you want." He seemed so lost in despair. 

I rolled up his sleeve and stuck the needle in his arm. I used the portable transfusion device to send the blood into his body. He must have felt the warm going into his arm because he eyes grew wide in alarm. 

"What?"

"You think...you are so good. Better than Section 31. But look, you are taking my blood from me when I am seemingly defenceless."

"Section 31?" Spock said. " What is he referring to, Miss. Swanson?"

"Do to the loss of blood he has become delirious." It was true up to a certain point. 

"You are no better..." Khan said.

"Look at your arm," I said gently. "I am not taking your blood. I am giving you my blood." 

He glance at his arm then back up at me. He winced.

"Are you in pain?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"No. Why?"

"Because I am always in pain," he whispered.

"Why?" I pulled out the needle. The transfusion was done.

"You don't care," he said quietly and deeply, it was like soft thunder.

"Yes I do."

"Why?"

"Because you are a person."

I injected pain medication into his neck with a hypo.

"No I am not. I am just a science experiment."

"Who told you that?"

"Everyone."

"They lied. You are a person."

He glance up at me, then looked away. For some reason he couldn't look me in the eye.


	23. 72

Dr.McCoy finished patching up my shoulder. "Not too much damage. It should heal soon enough," he reassured me.

I jumped off the biobed. "Where is Harrison? Shouldn't he be in here getting checked for further injuries."

"He rufused," Spock said as he entered the medbay with Kirk.

"We need you to take a look at him, Bones." Kirk handed him a PADD. "He took out an amry of Klingons single handedly."

"Do we have a superman on board?" The doctor took the PADD from Kirk.

"You tell me."

I glanced over the doctors shoulder at the PADD. Khan paced his white cell restlessly.

"Nothing I can tell just by looking at him." He touched the screen of the PADD and it switched to a page recording Khan's vitals from his cell.

"That can't be right!" I said.

"That's crazy," the doctor said.

"To what do you refer?" Spock seemed concerned.

"His heart rate," Dr.McCoy said. "It's way to high. Tchincally he shouldn't be alive."

"Can I see?" I reached for the PADD and the doctor handed it back to me.

I went back to the live recording of Khan in his cell. His hands were clenched tight into fits as he paced the cell. I zoomed in and noticed that he was taking deep breaths and trying to control his breathing.

"Spock, have you read him his rights as a prisoner? It is regulation to do so."

"No, Miss. Swanson I have not. However, it seems odd that you care about regulation considering the fact that you disobeyed the captain and boarded the ship to Qo' noS."

"Yes. But we are also disobeying the Admiral by allowing Harrison to live. However, I don't see any of us wanting to become an executioner any time soon."

Spock didn't say anything for a few moments. "I will read the prisoner his rights." He turned and walked down the hallway.

"I need to change out of these bloody clothes and then I will meet you in the brig." I told Kirk and Dr. McCoy.

"Spock is right, we still need to discuss the fact that you disobeyed orders. And we need to talk about why Carol's father didn't want her on this mission."

"Fine. We will talk later."

***

I changed clothes and walked towards the brig.

I had Kirk's PADD with me and watched as Spock read Khan his rights as a prisoner.

"Mr. Harrison, I have come to officially read you your rights."

Khan stopped pacing.

"Under Federation law you are entitled to fair treatment. Under the Fair Treatment act you are entitled to remain silent. You have the right to an attorney, should you be unable to afford one, one will be provided for you. You have a right to safe and human treatment, which includes not being subject to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment. You have rights to basic human needs which include medical attention, food, clothes and basic housing. Do you understand these rights?"

Khan had stopped pacing. His fists were no longer clenched. "Yes, I understand."

I switched to the screen to the tab of Khan's vitals. His heart rate was high, but not as high as before.

I turned down several hallways and down one turbolift till I reached the brig.

"You read me my rights and then try to make me the Federation's experiment," Khan's rich voice eachoed through the brig. "I refuse."

"It's not poison. Only a small blood sample. Don't worry. It won't hurt," I said.

Everyone glanced over at me, including Khan.

"But ultimately it is your choice."

Khan took a moment, glanced at the hole in the forcefield.

He stepped forward, lifted up his sleave and put his arm through the hole.

Dr. McCoy started to draw blood.

"Why aren't we moving, captain? Unexpected malfunction in your warp core conviently stranding you on the edge of Klingon space."

"How do you know that?" Dr. McCoy was shocked.

"Bones!" Kirk warned.

Dr.McCoy finished the blood draw.

"Are we good here?" Kirk asked the doctor.

"Yeah. I will let you know what I find." The doctor walked away, and Kirk and Spock started to as well.

"Ingnore what I have to say and you will get everyone on this ship killed!" Khan said.

"Captain I would not recommend engaging with the prisoner any further. He would--"

"Give me a moment."

Spock sighed and walked away.

I was leaning against a wall reading Khan's vitals on the PADD.

Kirk walked up to Khan's cell. "Let me explain this to you in a way you can't possibly misconstrue. You are a criminal. I watched you open fire on a room full of unarmred Starfleet officers. You murdered innocent men and women. People who were doing nothing but going about their daily lives. None of that mattered to you. I was authorized to end you, and the only reason you are still alive is because I am allowing it. If I had chosen to do so I could have gotten Dr.McCoy to put a full measure of something suitably toxic into his extractor. He could have pulled your blood and concurrently fataly dosed you. I would be signing off in the disposal of your body right now instead of having this little chat. Think about that for a moment. So until I decide what to do with you I reccomend you shut...your...mouth!"

"Oh captain are you going to punch me over and over again until your arm weakens? Clearly you want to. You so desperately want to. So tell me, there is one thing I don't understand, why did you allow me to live? Why do you still allow me to live?"

"Because of her!" He pointed to me.

'A...what?" I stepped forward.

"Not even my first officer could convince me to allow you to live. Not after you killed my friend, Christopher Pike. But she convinced me. And if you new her story...perhaps you wouldn't be so smug."

Khan glanced from me to Kirk. "Captain, I surrender to you because despite your attempt to convince me otherwise you seem to have a conscience. Violet wouldn't have been able to convince you to allow me to live if you did not."

"What is your point?"

"Two three, four six, 0ne seven, one one. Coordinates not far from earth. If you want to know why I did what I did, then go and take a look."

"Give me one reason."

"I can give you seventy two, and they have been on your ship along. I suggest you open one up and take a look."

Kirk said nothing in response to Khan. He turned to me. "I need to see you on the bridge."

"Give me a moment. I need to get Mr. Harrison's medical record." I lied, but I needed to talk with Khan alone.

"Okay, but I expect to see you on the bridge in twenty minutes."

"Alright, captain." I watched as he walked away. I was alone in the brig with Khan.

I turned to Khan. "He wouldn't actually poison you."

"Why?" he whispered. "Why did you convince him to let me live?"


	24. Fear is a Mind Killer

"Why?" he whispered. "Why did you convince him to let me live?"

"Because you deserve a trial. You deserve the right to explain yourself and tell everyone what Admiral Marcus did to you."

"What was Kirk talking about when he mentioned your story?"

 

"He only knows part of my story and the part he does know is only half the tragedy. I can't really talk about that now. " I tried to with hold tears, the emotion could be heard in my voice. "However, I have a question for you. Lily, Chritine, Conner...why did they have to have their limbs torn off? The sweetest most innocent little children who just want to love and be loved. Why should they have to suffer?"

"What? I don't know these children! They have nothing to do with me."

"Exactly. My point. They have nothing to do with you and your personal vendetta against Admiral Marcus. The children I named were at the museum with me when you decided to blow it up. I got them out in time before you had the chance to tear them to shreds."

Khan's eyes were a deep blue green, the intensity of the colour made his glare all the more intimidating. 

"You talk to Kirk about conscience. How dare you? Where is your conscience?" I didn't want to cry again, but I was. I just let the tears fall down my face.

"Marcus took my crew from me! He used my friends to control me..."

"I understand your pain. Trust me, I really do."

"No. No you don't. You don't know my life. You have no idea what I have been through. Do. Not. Pretend to."

"I know what it feels like to lose everyone, and as a result to only feel blinding grief and rage."

"You do? How? What has ever been taken from you?"

"My father and my mother. I know how it feels when you lose someone who means the most to you. To feel like you have nothing to live for anymore. But you can heal and life does go on. Which is why I need to ask you to give me that pill you must have."

He raised a brow.

"The suicide pill you have on you."

"What are you talk--"

"People who live for revenge don't live happy lives and aren't happy to be alive. You got your revenge and then went to an uninhabitable and hostile world for one reason."

"To hide."

"No. To die. To die where Admiral Marcus's employees couldn't have the sick joy of finding your dead body and performing experiments on you."

His eyes shifted back and forth as if he trying to find a way to read me, but I was a book with no apparent words.

"Why not just leave me with the pill? You could come back and find me dead. I could rid Starfleet of a problem."

"You are not a problem that needs to be swept away. You are a human being and it is not right for you to kill yourself."

He reached down into the side of his boot and pulled out the little pill. I slid the hand held voider over and used the irising device to make an arm sized hole in the forcefield. 

Khan slid his hand through and dropped the pill into my hand. Before he could pull his hand back I grabbed his wrist. "I am not your enemy, okay. Admiral Marcus is your enemy but not Starfleet. Not Kirk and not Spock."

I let go of his wrist and he pulled his arm back slowly. I closed the hole and slid the voider to the side. 

I turned and threw the pill in the garbage.

"How much do they pay you?"

I turned back to face him. "What?"

"How much does Section 31 pay you pretend you care are about me?"

"I don't know, how much do you think they would pay a person to make them give their blood to their enemy?"

He looked away.

"I am not working for Section 31. I care because I care. Because I wronged someone terribly and yet they forgave me, and I learned what compassion is."

He started to pace the cell again. "You are lying. No one cares about me. No one." He stopped pacing and faced me. "Certainly not a member of Starfleet."

"I am a person before I am a member of Starfleet."

"Still. There must be something you want from me."

"What I want is to understand."

"Understand? Understand what?"

"You are not without emotion. You obviously have the capability to love others. You have felt the absolute pain of losing those you love."

"Yes."

"So how can you live with yourself knowing you caused others the same pain? Why would you ever want someone--an innocent person--to feel that same suffering?"

"What kind of answer do you expect to get from me?"

"I want you to be sorry. I want you to let yourself feel guilt and repentance. I believe that you have the ability feel these things. However, all your emotion had been tied up in fight or flight, or grief. It's like being tied to a train track. All you emotion is focused on that fear of impending doom, so much so that you don't have the emotional availability to feel for others. "

He scoffed. "You think I feel fear?"

"Yes. Yes you do. You are afraid to lose control. Guilt is not so easy to control, so you try not to think of it--to feel it. But if you let yourself feel it, if you let yourself feel like a person again, then you could have a chance at redemption. Take a moment to realize that there were familys, people's own children, their flesh and blood that you tried to blow apart and--"

"Enough!" He lowered his head, and clenched his eyes.

"I want you just to be kind. People may have designed you to be a monster, but you still have a choice. You always have a choice, no matter how you were born or designed. Even if you don't feel love or compassion you can still choose it, and to act upon it."

"You want me to be repentant and kind. Why?"

"Because it is right and good. Because the tribunal may give you a chance at rehabilitation if they can see the good in you. If you allow yourself to feel."

He turned back around to face me. "Your tribunal will condemn me to death regardless."

I shook my head. "That's where you think we are taking you? To your death? Starfleet has never executed its prisoners. And you changing would be for you, not just the tribunal."

He let out a shaky sigh. "So in exchange for your kindness shown to me, you want me to be kind return."

"You wouldn't be doing this for me. You would be doing it for you."

The silence continued and it was getting awkward. He leaned closer to the forcefield. Finally he spoke. "You should hate me. I almost killed you twice." He was looking me directly in the eye. I didn't flinch. 

"By some people's opinions...yes I should hate you. And whether you are sorry for your actions or not....I...I forgive you and wish you no ill will."

"Violet!" Kirk called me. "You were supposed to be at the bridge over five minutes ago."

"I am sorry. I got...caught up."

"Have you been crying, Miss. Swanson?" Spock asked.

"Yes. But I am okay."

Spock looked over at Khan, who now was sitting on the bench in his cell. "Did the prisoner try to harm you."

"No. I am fine. What are you doing back here?"

Kirk walked up to Khan. "Why is there a man in that torpedo?"

Khan was still sitting on the bench in his cell. His posture was perfect. He glanced up at Kirk. "There are men and women in all those torpedoes, Captain. I put them there."

"Who are you?"

"A remnant of a time long past. Genetically engineered to be superior so as to lead others to peace in a world at war.But we were condemned as criminals, forced into exile. For centuries we slept, hoping when we awoke, things would be different." He glanced over at Spock. "But as a result of the destruction of Vulcan,your Starfleet began to aggressively search distant quadrants of space. My ship was found adrift. I alone was revived."

"I looked up John Harrison. Until a year ago, he didn't exist."

Khan stood up. "John Harrison was a fiction created the moment I was awoken by your Admiral Marcus to help him advance his cause. A smokescreen to conceal my true identity. My name is Khan. "

Kirk took a moment, then spoke. "Why would a Starfleet Admiral ask a 300-year-old frozen man for help?"

"Because I am better."

"At what?"

"Everything."

"Alexander Marcus needed to respond to an uncivilized threat in a civilized time and for that he needed a warrior's mind. My mind. To design weapons and warships."

Spock was horrified. "You are suggesting the Admiral violated every regulation he vowed to uphold simply because he wanted to exploit your intellect?"

"He wanted to exploit my savagery. Intellect alone is useless in a fight, Mr.Spock.   
You... You can't even break a rule. How would you be expected to break bone? Marcus used me to design weapons. To help him realize his vision of a militarized StarFleet. He sent you to use those weapons. To fire my torpedoes on an unsuspecting planet. And then he purposely crippled your ship in enemy space,leading to one inevitable outcome. The Klingons would come searching for whomever was responsible, and you would have no chance of escape. Marcus would finally have the war he talked about. The war he always wanted. "

"No. No. I watched you open fire in a room full of unarmed Starfleet officers.You killed them in cold blood--"

"Marcus took my crew from me--"

"You are a murderer!"

"He used my friends to control me. I begged, on my knees for their safety, for him to awaken them and let us live in peace, but my cries fell on deaf ears." He turned around, so his back was facing us. I could her the pain and emotion in his voice. "So I tried to smuggle them to safety by concealing them in the very weapons I had designed, but I was discovered. I had no choice but...to escape alone. And when I did, I had every reason to suspect that Marcus had killed every single one of the people I hold most dear. So I responded in kind." He turned to face us. " My crew is my family, Kirk. Is there anything you would not do for your family?" Tears were falling down his face,a me his eyes were red.

"I am sorry for what happened to you and to your family. Everyone here knows what it is like to lose someone you love. But we wouldn't sacrifice other people's families as you did," I said. "If we reacted in kind, as you did, then it would be perfectly okay for us to wake your crew, set them in a room, and blow them to pieces."

"You can't!" 

"Violet!" Kirk warned

"No. Let me talk. I am simply thinking in terms you would." I could feel my body starting to tremble. "With your theory of justice there would b nothing wrong with destroying your crew since you killed members of ours."

"Is that the justice you want, Violet?" His voice was low and threatening. 

"According to you it would be just. Correct?"

"Marcus wronged me first! He threatened my crew! He used me to get his war."

"Your crew was put in danger because of his savagery, the very quality you so praise is the same one putting your crew in danger."

"Miss. Swansom, you cannot be serious about harming Khan's crew?" Spock walked over to me. 

"No. Of course not. But I am trying to make a point. Khan, you wanted to destroy Admiral Marcus for being a monster, yet you have become the very monster you hate. You need to forgive him."

"Forgive....him. Never."

"Listen, I know it's hard, but--"

"How? You keep saying you can relate to my situation, but how can you?"

"My father was attacked and he is brain dead."

"Do you know who attacked him?"

"Yes. I know him."

"Did you get revenge on the man who did this?"

"Do you think I should get revenge on him? Because I could."

"You know my answer. You know I would."

"You don't know what you are saying," Spock said to Khan.

"I don't want revenge. I forgive the man who hurt my father."

"Well, then I guess you have a superior strength I have yet to obtain, Violet."

"I believe it would be appropriate to address her as Miss. Swanson," Spock said to Khan.

"Proximity alert, sir!" Sulu's voice was heard across the ship. "There's a ship at warp heading right for us."

"Klingons?"

"At warp?" Khan leaned closer to the forcefield. "No, Kirk. We both know who it is."

"I don't think so. It's not coming at us from Kronos." Sulu replied to Kirk.

"Lieutenant, move Khan to med bay. Post 6 security officers on him."

"Kirk! Wait." I grabbed Kirk my the arm. "We have to kill Khan!"


	25. The Fugitive

"What? Why?"

"Not actually kill him, but make admiral believe that Khan is dead."

"That is a dangerous game, " Spock stated. 

"He will kill us if he finds out the we let him live, and that we plan to let him return to earth to stand trial," I said. "Khan will reveal all of the admiral's crimes, and the admiral wouldn't allow that to happen."

"She is right," Khan agreed.

"Don't let on that you know Khan's true identity. Pretend you know nothing. If you let on that you know he has been engaged in illegal activity then he will kill us for sure."

"What should I say?" Kirk ran his ran hand through his blonde hair. His face was growing red with frustration. 

"Calm down. Tell him that...that we couldn't shoot the torpedoes at the Klingons because our ship had malfunctions and we couldn't escape; the Klingons would find our ship and kill us. Tell him we went to the Ketha province on a small ship, like we did, and brought back Harrison. We killed him and then shot his body out of the airlock into space," I grabbed onto his forearm, to calm him.

"And should this go wrong, captain?" Spock said. 

"Fine. Lets pray this works."

***

"What's wrong?"

I walked with Khan and the escort of the security guards to the medbay. He halted outside the medbay door.

"Nothing," he replied. "Nothing is wrong."

We entered the medbay and one of the security guards told Khan to take a seat on the biobed.

"Why?"

"So we can watch you and make sure you don't run off."

Khan glanced from the guard, to me, then to the bed. Finally he took a seat. 

"What's your resting heart rate supposed to be?"

"Fifty beats per minute," he said, there was no emotion on his face.

I waves the tricord over his body. "You heart rate is at sixty beats per minute! Do you think the admiral won't buy the story that we killed you?"

He didn't answer. My gazed followed his to the monitors behind me. "Khan?"

"What would that have to do with my heart rate?" He snapped. His attention turned back to me.

"Are you afraid he won't believe we killed you?"

"No."

"Well something is making your heart rate elevate and it isn't healthy." I lifted the tricord again. He didn't flinch but his eyes darted to my hand. "These reading aren't good."

He said nothing. Instead he just sat there quietly, his posture was perfect.

I put the tricord down on the biobed and then reached out to touch his ribs, where he had been injured on Qu, noS. He flintched at my touch. "That still hurts doesn't it?" My fingers lingered on his ribs 

"It does."

"I can give you an injection of some pain meds."

His serene disposition was broken. "You. Will. Not."

"You want to be in pain?"

"I will not be injected with anything."

"I was just trying to--"

"Admiral Marcus. I wasn't expecting you. That's an...interesting a ship you got there."

The captain's conversation with Marcus was being broadcast across the ship.

"And I wasn't expecting to get word that you'd taken Harrison into custody in violation of your orders," the admiral replied.

"Well, we...We had to improvisewhen our warp coreunexpectedly malfunctioned.But you already knew that, didn't you, sir?"

"I don't take your meaning."

"Well, that's why you're here, isn't it? To assist with our repairs? Why else would the head of Starfleet personally come to the edgeof the Neutral Zone?" Kirk paused. "Is there something I can help you find, sir?"

"Where is your prisoner, Kirk?

"Floating in space somewhere."

"What?" Bones got up from his seat near an examing table. He walked over to Khan and I. Carol joined as well as we watched a screen projecting the admiral. 

"What do you mean, son?" the admiral was confused.

"We killed him and sent his body into space via trash shoot. Dr. McCoy thought Harrison may have caught a disease while on the Ketha province. It was too much of a risk to leave his body here."

Good thinking.

"Well son, I am proud of you."

"He is messed up," I mumbled. I turned and noticed Carol's hurt expression. "Sorry."

I lifted Khan's shirt. "There is bruising. I can put ointment on this to numb the pain."

"Shh," McCoy said. "I want to hear what they are they saying."

I rolled my eyes. We were out of the woods. I wasn't worried. 

"They are only talking about the repairs to the ship." I grabbed the numbing agent out of a near by cabinet and opened it. I walked up to Khan who was sitting, posture perfect, on the biobed. "Do you want this?" I gestured to the bottle oinment in my hand.

He took a moment, glanced up at me, and then at the bottle. Finally he nodded silently. I applied it gently over the bruises, not caring that the agent was numbing my own fingers. 

He groaned when I pressed on a healing wound. 

"Sorry."

"Shhh," said Dr.Mccoy. 

"...to the last order of business. I need you to turn over your fugitive," the admiral said.

Everyone could her Kirk gulp. 

My hand stilled against Khan's ribs. I could feel his heart pounding faster. 

"A...Harrison I told you that Harrison is dead."

"No son, your other fugitive."

"Other fugitive?"

"Ella Violet King. She is a traitor and traitors are sentenced to death. Hand her over. Now."


	26. The Prisoner

A chill as cold as ice ran down my spine so fast it hurt. I dropped the ointment from my hand and it shattered to the floor.

"Sir, we don't have any one on this ship--"

"Kirk, she goes by the name of Miss Violet Swanson. She was in league with Harrison. We have security footage showing her releasing Harrison from a...secure facility where he was kept...do to the fact that we had reason to believe he was dangerous. Valid reason as we now unfortunately know. She helped him escape."

"Admiral! You have to be wrong. Harrison is the reason Violet's father is brain dead."

"What?" Khan said.

His voice snapped me to attention. My hand was still on his chest. I moved away, but he grabbed my forearm. The guards tensed. 

"Miss. King created a hacking program," the admiral continued, "creating such a program is illegal. Using it to hack my computer--Starfleet's computers is treason."

"Sir, are you sure we are speaking of the same woman?"

My photo was brought up on screen along with a description of me.

"Sir, it states that Miss. King has violet eyes, a trait that can not be easily ignored. Miss Swanson--"

"Is fooling you. She simply wears coloured lenses. It's not that much of a magic trick. Don't be naive, she is playing you, son."

There was a moment of silence from Kirk.

"Violet, it can't be true, " Carol said. "I will tell my father he is wrong."

"No," Dr. McCoy said. "He isn't wrong. Is he, Violet?"

Kirk was speaking. "Sir, if what you are saying is true...then Miss. Sawns--King, is also responsible for the attack on the archive, on Daystorm--on Captain Pike!"

"Yes son, she is."

Kirk cleared his throat, then spoke. "I know where she is, Sir. Give me a moment to confirm her identity and I will allow you to beam her aboard."

"Ok son, sounds fair." The admiral logged off.

"No," I scremed. "Kirk, no!" I was trembling.

Khan still clutched fiercely to my arm.

"Violet, come on, tell me he is wrong! Somehow, by a miracle, tell me he is wrong." Dr. McCoy waited for my response. I hated to shatter the hope in his eyes.

"I...I didn't want anyone to get hurt--"

"She didn't know," Khan said. He released my arm.

I pulled his shirt down, covering his bruises. 

The doors slid open Kirk and Spock rushed in. They were out of breath, I could tell that they had run from the bridge to the medbay.

"Violet, this can't be true. He has to be mistaken, " Kirk said. "Right?"

"I do no think the admiral is mistaken," Spock said. "I have noticed a certain familiarity Violet has around the prisoner."

"Violet!" Dr. McCoy pounded his fist on the table. "I let you near patients! I left you in charge of the medbay at times...."

"You don't think I would hurt the patients I would never hurt anyone!"

"I don't know what to think."

"None of us do," Carol said. "My father almost died in the attack at Daystorm."

"She didn't know about the attacks," Khan said. "Miss.King found me a Section 31. At the time I was being experimented on and tortured under your father's command, Miss.Marcus. Miss.King did nothing but feel sorry for me and release me. She had no idea about any of my plans, or about my true identity. In fact she was a hinderance to me. She stopped any true damage from happening to anyone at the archive."

"Which you will thank me for later," I said to Khan.

"How do we know what you saying are is true?" Miss. Marcus asked Khan.

"Why would Violet be at the archive with her father if she new there was going to be an attack? Why would she evacuate the area if she wanted an explosion to detonate?"

"Why would she want to be at Daystrom with us?" Kirk added.

"Precisely," Khan agreed.

"No! If that is true...then my father is a monster." Carol shook her head in disbelief. "There is no way that the man who raised me would torture people."

"Carol, I am so sorry..." I whispered.

"Why were you even at Section 31?" Spock spoke up.

"When you were mugged I found a note on Carol that mention Section 31 and Khan's crew. I...researched it--"

"Oh great!" Kirk flew up his hands. "So the hacking program is real."

I clenched my eyes shut. "Yes."

"Why, Violet?"

"I created it a long time ago, with not so noble intentions. However I used it to free Khan from torture, and to set off alarms evacuating the museum--"

"And to create a false ID for you and Miss.Marcus," Spock said.

"That's why my father didn't want me on this mission," Carol mumbled. "He didn't want me to find Khan's crew."

"And it is why he wanted Miss. King on the Enterprise to monitor her," Spock said.

"Kirk, you can't hand me over to the admiral! I have...photos and video of him torturing Khan. The admiral will question me and then brutally kill me. You can't hand me over, please. I am not a threat."

"In a sense you are, Miss. King," Spock said. "As long as you are on this ship you are a danger to us."

"I am sorry. I am so sorry."

"Kirk, you are going to send her over to be killed my the admiral, but you are going to spare me, and allow me stand trial?" Khan furrowed his brow.

"No. No one is being killed," Kirk said. "But Violet, I am sorry, you will have to be locked up in the brig."

"Why? I have never hurt you, or anyone. Please, let me help..."

"Help! Violet, we could all die because you are on this ship."

"So, what are you going to do? Say you are going to take me to the brig then hand me over to the admiral."

Kirk walked over to a near by console and pressed a button, broadcasting his voice to the bridge.

"Mr. Sulu, set course for Earth. Punch it."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, at least we're moving again," McCoy said as he passed a tricord over Khan.

"If you think you're safe at warp, you're wrong," Khan stated. 

The ship lurched forward. Everyone was almost thrown across the ship except for Khan.

"I can stop him!" Carol got up ran from the medbay, and Kirk followed. 

"Miss. King we will send another security team to escort you to the brig."

I reached for Spock's arm before he could leave. "Please. No. What's the point? You already have security here. And you know I don't have it in me to hurt anyone."

He blinked. Took a moment. The ship shifted again. "Fine. Stay here." He ran out of the medbay. 

"Is it true?" Khan turned to glance over at me. 

"What?"

"I am the man who injured your father. I am the reason he is brain dead."

"Yes. It is true."

"So. When do you plan to take your revenge?"


	27. The Alliance

I tried to speak, but I couldn't. The emotion I was feeling was choking me. I swallowed hard, and my jaw tensed under the pressure of emotions in my throat. 

"Or have you taken your revenge and I have yet to take notice?" 

Dr. McCoy was watching me, waiting for me to answer Khan.

I walked up to Khan. He still sat on the biobed, his posture perfect. I looked him right in eyes. "What you did to me and to my family was horrible." My voice trembled. "You caused me some of the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life," I whisperd, trying to steady my voice. "You did horrendous things."

"What do you plan to do with me? How will you harm me, Miss King?"

I clenched my eyes shut and bowed my head, trying to hide the free falling tears. Finally I looked up. "I forgive you. I am not condoning or excusing what you have done, but I forgive you for it. I won't exchange hatred for hatred. I don't want to be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good. It is the only way to break the cycle of hated. "

He just stared at me in disbelief. I thought I saw a moment of vulnerability and fear. 

"Watching you suffer won't me happy. It wouldn't make my father happy and it certainly wouldn't make him well. More pain...and more bloodshed and loss won't fix anything. Forgiveness ends the pain to a certain extent. It at least causes healing."

Looking at the man who severely injured my father and offering him forgiveness was hard, but also a great relief. 

"Is that why you are so kind to me? That's what you want. The cure that I used on the Harewood girl, you want it for your father."

I shook my head. "It would be quicker for me to torture the information out of you, wouldn't it? I mean...I would be lying if I said I didn't want a cure for my father, but it is not the reason I am showing you kindness. My forgiveness is not an insincere elaborate attempt to get a cure out of you. It is real." 

"The remedy was a one time use only. It's gone. I can't cure your father. Do you still forgive me, Miss King?"

"Yes. I wish you no ill will."

Suddenly Carol's voice was broadcast the ship. She was pleading with her father.  
"...Please, you are not listening. Miss. King was only trying to help me! I was snooping around Section 31. I stole some information from an agent's office, and those agents attacked me to get it back. Violet saved us! She saved me. Dad! I...I don't believe that the man who raised me is capable of destroying a ship full of innocent of people. And...if I'm wrong about that, then you're gonna have to do it with me on board."

"Actually, Carol, I won't,"

Carol started screaming.

"I think he's beaming her aboard his ship," Dr.McCoy said in shock. 

"Can we intercept the transport signal?" Kirk said.

"No, sir," a lieutenant replied. 

"Jim," Carol screamed. 

"Carol! I can't stop him."

"Captain James T. Kirk: Without authorization and in league with the fugitives known as John Harrison and Ella King, you and your crew went rogue in enemy territory, leaving me no choice but to hunt you down and destroy you." He looked to his right. "Lock phasers."

"Wait, sir! Wait, wait, wait! "

"I'll make this quick. Target torpedoes on the renegade's bridge." Marcus turned away from his visual pick up.

"Wait! Admiral, I take full responsibility for my actions. But they were my actions, and mine alone. I'm sorry." He was pleading, begging for mercy. "My crew was only following my orders. From my first officer ... to the lowest-ranking new inductee into Starfleet, they acted only as instructed. Following a captain's orders should be reason for commendation, not termination. If I transmit Violet's exact location to you now, all that I ask is that you spare them." 

I felt drained and sick listening to poor Kirk pleading. I was so afraid, afraid of what the admiral may do to me, and afraid of what the crew would suffer.

"Please, sir," Kirk continued. "Let them live. I'll do anything you want, including and not restricted to turning myself over to you with Violet. If, following that, it's your intention to pronounce and carry out summary judgment on me, then I'll accede to that without protest. There'll be no request for clemency; I give you my word."

The admiral spoke. "Well, Captain, I have to say . . . that's a great apology. But if it's any consolation . . ." he paused ". . . I was never going to spare your crew. Too many witnesses. Too many potentially awkward questions. My preference when dealing with a difficult situation was always to leave . . . a clean slate. He turned to look at his right again. "Fire." The communication ended. 

"No!" I screamed. "No! No!"

There was silence and the suddenly Scotty's voice was broadcast across the ship. 

"Scotty is over there! He is on that ship," Dr. McCoy smiled. 

"Thank God," I felt relief flood me.

"Wait. Where did he go? I can't hear him." The doctor pressed a few buttons on the screen that was projecting Scotty's voice.

The door swooshed open and Kirk entered the medbay. He took a moment then walked up to Khan. "Scotty managed to disable their weapons for the time being."

"That can't last long, " I said.

Kirk walked up to Khan. "Tell me everything you know about that ship."

"To tell you everything I know about your opponent would require more time than remains to either of us, Captain," Khan replied. "Bearing that in mind, I will tell you that it would be considered a dreadnought class. It is far larger than the Enterprise-but you already know that. It is far more heavily armed than the Enterprise-but you already know that. Special modifications to its warp drive and engine nacelles allow it to exceed, for a short period of time, all accepted warp factors. Modified to be operated by a minimal crew. Unlike most Federation vessels, it is built solely for combat."

"I didn't know that. Listen to me, Khan. I am going to do everything I can to make you answer for what you did that night at Starfleet headquarters." He paused a moment. "But right now, I need your help."

"Of course you do. As your Mr. Spock would say, it is patently obvious. Very well. You need my help." His tone sharpened. "In exchange for what?"

"You said you'd do anything for your crew. For your 'family.' Help me, and I can guarantee their safety."

"Captain. You can't even guarantee the safety of your own crew."

"He's right." I agreed with Khan. "Because of me, because of my actions no one is safe. But Khan you can help us, if not solely because it is the right thing to do, then do it for redemption."

"Redemption?" Khan said.

"Yes. The redemption of you and your crew. Khan, you are the only representative of your seventy two crew members. Your actions reflect who they are. You are their ambassador. If the world believes that you are heartless and cold, then they will think the same of your crew. No one in their right mind would unleash seventy two monster in the world."

"Violet eyes has a point," Dr. McCoy said. He had taken a seat at a desk that had a dead Tribble on it.

"But if they see that you were upset over your actions, and that you not only helped save our lives, but helped us expose a corrupt admiral, then they will have compassion on you and your crew. This is a second chance."

"Fine. I can help you get onto the Vengeance but your friend aboard the ship will have to assist us."

"That will be no pro--Bones, what are you doing with that Tribble?" Kirk was distracted by his friends behaviour.

"The tribble's dead. A standard medical specimen. I'm injecting Khan's platelets into the deceased tissue of a necrotic host."

"Speaking of my blood," Khan said, "I want you to take two more vials of it."

Kirk furrowed his brow and tilted his head. "Why?"

"Just do it."

"Violet, I can't leave this fuzzy creature just yet. Wanna take care of the scary creature for me."

"If he trusts me."

"I do," Khan said. "Hurry. We don't have much time."

I pulled open a drawer and grabbed an extractor. His arms were cuffed so I had to roll up his sleeve. "You know when we get back you have to let me give you a proper physical examination of your wounds. You never had one." I pushed the extractor into his arm and it filled with blood. He didn't blink or even seem uncomfortable with the blood draw.

"We?" Kirk interjected. "What do you mean by that?"

"I am going with you two. I am. Don't argue. It's my fault we are in this mess, and that fact kills me." 

"You are not going on that ship. It isn't safe for you."

I finished the blood draw and pulled Khan's sleeve down. I ignored Kirk. "What do you want us to do with your blood?"

"Keep it in a safe place."

"Ok then." I put the vials in a safe the that carried all of our strong pain killers. "Alright boys, are you ready to go."


	28. Vengeance

"Spock, it's not working," I cried. "The hit I took broke the firing controls. I can't navigate."

We were flying through space. It was terrifying and surreal. I felt so small, so empty, so alone, and yet not alone. Everything seemed to be moving slow and yet at the same time I seemed to be moving too fast. The sky seemed darker and the stars brighter. My body was weightless, which was exciting and completely terrifying. 

I was lost in the amazement and fear of flying through space! That's why I wasn't paying attention and I heard Spock's warning far too late. I smacked into space debris. I was stunned but okay. However, the equipment used to propel me through space was damage.

"I can't navigate, Spock! I keep turning at abrupt and sharp angles."

"Miss King...there is nothing I can do from the Enterprise. Remain calm. Avoid exerting so much force on the controls."

"Spock, I tried. It's not working." I could see Kirk flying out of view. He was on course, I was the one flying away from the set destination. However he was ahead of me and hadn't see where I had gone when I hit the debris. Even if he did know where I was, it would be to dangerous for Kirk to turn around and come get me. I wouldn't risk the mission especially when I was already the reason we were all in danger. Khan had also hit debris and we lost communication with him. We had no idea where he was. 

"Violet, you have to make another attempt to regain control."

"Spock, your voice is trembling! That can't be good."

"There is debris directly ahead."

"I can't navigate. It's not working. It's like the left and right controls are confused. Now they aren't working at all. Spock! I can't stop."

A large chunk of satellite was directly a head of me. "I can see the debris. Spock what is the mathematical probability of it killing me on impact going at this speed?"

"Violet, do not panic. Panicking will only result in--"

"Spock tell me!"

"At you current speed...There is a sixty percent chance that the impact will be immediately fatal."

"So...there is a thirty four percent chance that I could hit it and be terribly injured and left to slowly die in pain while floating through space." I was getting closer and closer and closer to the debris.

"Unfortunately...yes, Miss. King. But you will not be left floating through space. We will come after you so you may receive medical aide. "

"No. Spock. No one comes after me. I don't want them to be hurt trying retrieve my half dead body. I am sorry..." I was getting closer and closer, the debris was looking larger and far more menacing. "I am so sorry that I put you and everyone in trouble. Please tell that I am sorry. Please...forgive me." I closed my eyes and waited for the pain.

"Miss. King! Miss. King, do you read me?"

I couldn't respond. I surrendered to my fate. 

"I forgive you, Miss.King?"

Fear had taken my voice, and that was worse surrender of all, even worse than surrendering to death. 

Tightness wrapped around me. I felt arms grabbing me and pulling me in a new direction. I dared to open my eyes. I gasped. 

"Spock, my firing controls are working. I have got Miss.King. We are redirecting our course to the Vengeance," I heard Khan say through our communicators. 

As we got closer to the ship I started to doubt as to whether or not Scotty could get the door open in time. 

I screamed.

At the last minute the door opened. Kirk was ahead of us and flew through first. Khan and I were next.

We rolled and rolled. My back and limbs repeatedly smashed into the ground. Finally we came to a stop. Everything hurt so bad. I didn't want to move. I couldn't move I was in so much pain.

I heard a click as someone was removing my helmet. It was Khan kneeling over me. He gently took my helmet off and rested it in the ground beside his. 

"You...you saved me." I sat up. "Thank you." I leapt up and hugged him. It hurt to do so, but I just had to.

Khan remained very still. In fact he even seemed to tense up a bit. "Thank you."

He took me by the shoulders and gently pushed me away. It seemed that I somehow made him feel uncomfortable.

"And who are you two?" Mr.Scott asked Khan

I was unaware that Kirk and Scotty had been watching us.

"Scotty this is Violet and Khan. Khan and Violet this is Scotty."

"Which one of you is Violet?" 

Khan gave Scotty the glare of death.

"Ok, bad time for jokes, eh."

"They'll know we're here. Marcus will have all approaches to the bridge secured if only as a precaution, but I know another route."

We ditched our space suits and Kirk gave each of us a phaser. "They're locked to stun."

Khan pursed his lips. "Theirs won't be."

"Then try not to get shot."

"Violet, stay near me," Khan said.

"Why?" I asked as we all followed him down a corridor.

"Because you are the most vulnerable and perhaps the most valuable to the admiral."

"I am not vulnerable."

Khan was looking back at me. He didn't notice the man lunging for him. I stunned the assailant with my phaser, he fell at our feet. The quiet didn't last for long. Suddenly we were being attacked by several men. Khan was knocking them out quickly and with ease.

"Come." He grabbed my hand. 

"What about Kirk and Scotty?"

"They can fight for themselves. Anyhow, it's you Marcus wants. You have all the evidence against him."

"It's all on earth though." He pulled me down a hallway and we hid behind a corner.

"He assumes you brought it with you, and that it's on the Enterprise. "

I sighed deeply and my body trembled. 

"We will win."

"Do you mean you will?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know that you are stronger than us and more resourceful. Please, don't betray us. I don't want my friends to get hurt. Please..."

"Everyone I have ever trusted aside from my crew has betrayed me."

"I have never hurt you, and Kirk spared your life, even though you harmed a man who was like a father to him."

He took a moment. "Come. I hear Scotty and Kirk."

We found Kirk and Scotty and continued to follow Khan.

"They're gonna have full power and we're walking," Scotty whispered.

Khan paused at a control console and quickly entered a series of brief commands. "This path we're taking runs adjacent to the engine room. They know they won't be able to use their weapons here without destabilizing the warp core, which gives us the advantage."

"Where'd you find this guy?" Scotty asked us.

"It's a long story," Kirk muttered as we all hurried to keep up with Khan.

We rounded a corner and burst through the door to the bridge.

"Khan!" The admiral was shocked and horrified to see that he was alive.

Suddenly everything was a quick and frightening blur. I stunned two crew members of the Vengeance. Carol hit one crew member in the face. Khan stunned the majority of our opponents and Kirk and Scotty took down three members.

The admiral still sat in his chair. Kirk had his phaser pointed at him. I watched as Kirk nodded at Scotty. Within a second Scotty had turned his phaser to Khan and stunned him. Khan fell to the ground.

"No, no, no. Why did you do that?" I knelt to the ground and felt for Khan's pulse. "I told him he could trust us."

"Is he breathing?" Kirk asked.

"Yes. Physically he is fine."

Scotty walked over beside me to guard Khan. 

"Are you going to drop me now too?" I asked Kirk.

"Violet! This isn't the time or place. I made a decision as captain. For once respect it."

"I can respect it, but an don't agree with it."

The admiral scoffed. Kirk brought his attention back to him.

"Admiral Alexander Marcus, by authority granted me under the relevant Starfleet regulations governing the use of unauthorized and excessive force, I hereby relieve you of command and place you under arrest."

"You're not actually going to do this, are you? Do you still really think Starfleet is about exploring 'strange new worlds'? That's a fantasy, Kirk. The galaxy is wide, dark, and dangerous, populated by sentients who are collectively paranoid, warlike, and sometimes both. Their quest for species superiority has nothing to do with stealing other worlds' resources or enslaving an entirely different populace-it's all about bragging rights. About who is superior and who should bow down. If you think Starfleet was put together as a scientific enterprise, that's another fantasy. There are plenty of other organizations based on Earth and its colonies capable of exploring and studying. Fortunately, there are some of us who believe that all the do-gooding, glad-handing scientists might need a little protection while they're out there-not to mention that there's a need for defending the species itself. That's what Starfleet really is about."

"Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm the last person on the planet to back away from a fight, but . . . that's your Starfleet, Admiral. It's not mine. It's not what I signed up for, not what I vowed to defend, and not the philosophy I plan to use in guiding my career."

Kirk gestured at Marcus with the phaser he was holding. "Get out of that chair."

"War with the Klingons is coming. If your visit was discovered and reported to the authorities on Qo'noS, it will only hasten the inevitable. If it was not, then we have gained a little more time before the cataclysm arrives. And who's going to lead us? You?"

"Get out of the chair!"

"If you think I'm abandoning this ship and leaving quietly with you, you're going to have to kill me."

"I'm not going to kill you, sir." Neither Kirk's determination nor the muzzle of the weapon he held had wavered. "But I could stun you and drag you out of that chair, but I'd rather not do that in front of your daughter." He looked toward her. "You all right?"

"Yes, Captain," Carol said.

For an instant, Scotty had taken his eyes off the figure on the floor. Khan knocked out Scotty.

"Please! Don't!"

Khan grabbed by phaser quicker than I could think. He smashed the phaser to the ground. 

"Jim!" Carol shouted.

Khan leapt and tackled Kirk to the ground throwing punch after punch. 

"Stop!" I begged Khan.

He grabbed Kirk and threw him against the wall. The impact stunned him. 

Khan kicked Carol and she screamed. 

I new who he was after.

"No!" I stood in front of Admiral Marcus, blocking Khan's way to him. "Don't kill him."

"Move. Move right now or I will make you move--"

"No! You don't get to kill him. You aren't allowed to take anyone's life. You--"

"Move!" He pushed me aside and grabbed onto the admiral's head.

I latched onto Khan's wrists and tried to pull his hands off of the admiral. "You have no right. I am not going to watch you kill a man in front of his daughter. You have already done that-- you did it to mean! You did it to my father when you blew up the museum. I know that pain and I won't let Carol suffer it." I was sobbing now. I had complete given up on my resolve not to cry in public.

He hands tensed. I could feel the tendons tightening under his skin. Poor Carol was crying deeply. 

Khan's glanced up towards me, his eyes shifting slowly. He looked menacing. Finally he removed his hands from the admiral's head. He lifted his fist and smacked the admiral across the face, knocking him out.

Carol screamed.

Khan stood up. "You asked me to be merciful. That was my one act of mercy."

"Don't hurt her," Kirk mumbled as he regained his footing.

Khan smiled and grabbed Kirk by the back of his neck. Khan then picked up a phaser off the floor and the hailed the Enterprise.

"I'm going to make this very simple for you, Mr. Spock," Khan said softly.

"Captain." Spock actually displayed emotion and seemed rather worried. 

"Your crew," Khan continued, "for my crew."

"You have betrayed us," Spock said evenly. "The captain trusted you. Trusted you enough to make you an ally against the renegade Admiral Marcus." Spock took a moment. "I see only Engineer Scott and Dr. Marcus behind you. Where is the admiral?"

"He is unconscious," Khan replied. "And if we're going to throw around the term 'betrayal,' I'm the one who should be outraged. I'm the one who was betrayed." 

"How so?" Spock tilted his head in confusion. 

"Once the admiral and those around him had been dealt with, your man shot me. On the direct order of the same captain you claim made me his ally."

"The captain had reason not to trust you. As I can now see the captain's judgement was sound. You have betrayed us."

"Give me my crew."

Kirk Spoke up, "Listen to me, Spock! Don't do-"

Khan cut Kirk off in mid-sentence with a blow to the head from the butt of the phaser he was holding. Kirk fell to the floor.

"Captain!" I knelt by Kirk, trying to comfort him. I caressed his forehead. "You have to stop this, please!" I looked up at Khan. "I...I can't take any more of his. Please, Kirk may have made a mistake, but you can still trust us."

"Violet, you asked me to trust Kirk, to trust Starfleet, and I was betrayed again. I am done being used and manipulated. I grew up in a lab, Violet, a science lab. I was experimented on, along with my crew. We were just children. We suffered ever single day," his voice trembled, and tears were forming in his eyes. "When we reached adulthood we finally had our freedom, or so we thought. They dropped us all off in the middle of a war. After the war they condemned us to death. Your Starfleet then manipulated and tortured me! I have never known a day's peace in my life. I have never known what is is to be a person. Now you are asking me to trust your Starfleet, to leave my family in the hands of my tormentors." 

"Starfleet would not harm your crew," Spock said. 

"Spock, are you so naive?" Khan turned his head back to the vid pickup. "Once we return to earth there will be a mock trail to satisfy everyone's sense of justice. Then Section 31 will come for me and my crew. We will be tortured, while the rest of the world is lead to believe that we are in Cyrostasis. We will be awake, we will be tortured, and even though we are super human we still feel pain and bleed as any human would. In that sense, when it comes to pain, we are not better, we are the same." 

"After what has happened to you Section 31 will be dismantled," Spock said.

"He's right," I added. "I have enough evidence against them."

"I am sorry, Violet." He turned from me back to the vid pickup. "No more discussions. No more meaningless, time-wasting banter. I've waited three hundred years. Give me my crew."

"Suppose I comply with your request," Spock replied calmly, and not at all intimidated. "What will you do when you get them?"

"Disappear. Earth holds nothing but painful memories for my crew and I. Not to mention the fact that we wouldn't be safe. Starleet sees us as nothing but lab rats."

"Forgive me if I don't trust your word."

"I am done arguing. Your crew for my crew, Spock. Give me what I want."

"We have no transporter capabilities."

Khan favored him with a thin smile. "Fortunately, that is not a problem, as mine are perfectly functional." He glanced to one side. "Dr. Marcus can personally attest to that. Drop your shields."

"If I do so," Spock responded, "I have no guarantee you will not kill the captain and destroy the Enterprise."

"Ah, so it seems we are back to gaming again. As you like. Let's play this out 'logically.' Firstly, I will kill your captain to demonstrate both my resolve and my seriousness. That will eliminate your first concern from the equation, as he will then be dead and no longer a factor in our discussion. As to your resolve, if it continues to hold firm, I will have no choice but to kill you and your entire crew. So you see, you can turn over my crew to me and subsequently trust me to let you live, or I can kill you and your colleagues and recover my crew afterwards. Whether you live or die, I will have my people back."

"And yet," Spock replied, "if you destroy the Enterprise, you destroy your own people as well."

Khan's smile widened. "You forget, Mr. Spock. Your crew requires a continuous supply of fresh air to survive. Mine, being frozen in stasis, demands only a minimal energy draw to remain as they are until such time as they can be properly revived. Each stasis pod is individually powered, so that even if one or two of my companions should be lost, the rest would survive until revivification." He nodded in the general direction of the warship's instrumentation.

"Obviously, obliterating the Enterprise in a paroxysm of destruction would risk my crew's survivability. Do you still wonder why the former admiral Marcus desired it? In contrast, I will selectively target the life-support systems located in the vicinity of the engine nacelles. Once everyone aboard your ship has suffocated, I will walk over your cold corpses until I recover my people. Should a few of you manage to slip into EV suits, I will deal with those resourceful individuals one at a time." For emphasis, he pointed the end of the phaser toward the dazed Kirk's neck. "Game over. Now, shall we begin?"

I stood. "Spock! Don't. He is bluffing. He wouldn't kill the admiral then he won't kill us."

Khan glanced over at me. "Do you really want to take that chance? It would be a high cost to pay if you are wrong."

"Lower shields, Mr. Sulu," Spock ordered.

"Mr. Spock, sir, are you sure that . . . ?"

"Now, if you please, Mr. Sulu."

"A wise choice, Mr. Spock. I had a feeling that when all was said and done, you would do the rational thing. Decision making becomes so much easier when an individual's choices are reduced to one."

Drawing back his leg, he delivered a kick to the prone Kirk's midsection. Kirk gasped in pain.

"I now can see that your weapons bay is filled with a variety of photon torpedoes. Including, interestingly, six dozen of an entirely new type." His voice darkened. "If none of them are mine, Commander, I will know it. At which point there will be no more discussion-of anything."

"Vulcans do not lie," Spock replied, emotionless. "You should know that. The ones to which you allude are indeed your torpedoes."

Khan began transporting the torpedoes. 

I knelt down beside Kirk and held his hand. From where I knelt I could still see Khan's face. The pure joy of knowing his crew was aboard the Vengeance was written all over his face. I had never seem him so vulnerable and happy. It was actually pitiful. It was even more pitiful because I new the truth. I new Spock. He wouldn't lie. Khan had asked for the torpedoes, and that's what he got. Empty torpedoes, void of his crew. Khan was smiling down on a video of what he thought was his family, in reality he still didn't have them. 

"Thank you, Mr. Spock."

"I have fulfilled your terms," Spock stated firmly. "Now fulfill mine."

"Why not? It will make no difference, in the end." Looking over at Kirk. "Well, Kirk, it seems I have to return you to your crew, as mine has been returned to me." He took a seat now in the warship's command chair, and started to manipulate the available controls. "

"After all," Khan continued as he worked the relevant instrumentation, "no ship should go down without her captain."

Yellow swirls rapidly spun around Kirk, Carol, Scotty and even Admirl Marcus. I however remained on the ship.

I stood. "Spock! I screamed into the vid pickup.

"Why have you fired at us!" Spock said. "And why is Miss. King still aboard the Vengeance. You broke our agreement." 

"Relax, Spock. Your emotions are showing," Khan said. "Did I hit your bridge or the life support systems? No. I did not. I could have blown you to pieces with a single shot, but here you remain. I simply put the Enterprise out of commission for the time being. That way you cannot follow us."

"Why have you not returned Miss.King?" 

"I will not harm her, Spock," Khan said softly. " I simply need her medical expertise for when I awaken my crew."

"What if I refuse?" I walked over to Khan.

"That would cause great suffering."

"You would torture me."

"I am taking about the suffering if my own people. You would simply stand by and watched as a person convulsed in pain in a cyrotube and do nothing to come to their aid, Miss.King?"

"No...I wouldn't leave them to suffer. But what about when you don't need me anymore."

"I will send you back to earth in a small ship. You father will need you."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?"

"No. The vials of blood you took from me--the ones in the medbay of the Enterprise, they have regenerative properties that could heal your father."

"You said the cure does not exist anymore."

"I lied."

"Khan, you need to beam Violet aboard the Enterprise immediately! She may not survive."

"Not survive what?" I asked.

There was an explosion! Khan scream in grief as he thought his family had been blown to bits. The ship tilted to the left, and I hit a wall. Pain traveled across my body.

I took a moment, and then managed to stand, though it hurt, I didn't sem to have any major injuries. 

I walked over to Khan. He dropped to his knees and sobbed into his hands, his back shook with the enormity of the sobs that wracked his body.

I dared to kneel beside him and touch his shoulder. "Listen to me," I whispered gently. 

He stood, nearly pushing me over "New destination!" he roared. "Starfleet headquarters!"

"Engines compromised," announced the voice of the ship's computer. "Cannot guarantee we will reach intended destination. Specified destination off-limits. Do you confirm order?"

"Confirmed," he said between heavy sobs. 

We were heading on a collision course straight for earth.


	29. Redemption

As the ship started free falling it was hard to keep my balance. I crawled on the floor over to Khan, and I knelt down beside him. He was grieving deeply. I placed my hand on the back of his neck and applied a little pressure, in what I hoped was a comforting touch. He didn't move.

"Listen, everything is going to be okay," I whispered. I took my hand off of his neck and rubbed his back in small circular motions. 

"They...they are all dead. All of them. He killed my family. I thought Marcus had killed them and that was a nightmare, and now I must relive it...all over again." He leaned over and sobbed into his hands. "I wish he had just killed me. I wish Kirk had just killed me."

"No. No. Don't say that. You didn't understand. Everything is going to be okay." I took his hands in mine. 

His eyes were red and bloodshot. He looked at me searchingly. "I don't understand. How...how can you comfort me? How can you b-be so kind to me, after everything I have done to you. You should hate me." He started to shake. "You should hate me the way I hate Spock right now. I...I hate him so much. He tore my family to pieces! He tore the very from my chest. And...I now I d-deserve it, I deserve to have my family torn apart, especially after what I did at the archive..." He bowed his head and sobbed. "It just hurts so bad. I am tired of hurting. I am tired and so angry. I could tear Spock apart for what he has done. I could never imagine forgiving him, and comforting him, giving him my blood so he could live. I could never treat him with any of the kindness you have shown me. " He tried to pull away, but I held onto his hands firmly. "You should just kill me, Violet. Just dispose of me."

"I don't want to hurt you, okay. You are a person, you have feelings and value, and you are not a piece of garbage that can be disposed of. Khan, you haven't lost everything...your crew is still alive."

"Stop! Stop. Is this your revenge? It's too cruel. I was wrong, Violet. I am not better. You are! You have far more of a savage heart than I do." 

I cupped his face with my hands. "Khan, look at me. Listen to me. You crew is alive. Spock wouldn't kill seventy two people." I shook my head. "He wouldn't harm them."

"Vulcans do not lie," he said through gritted teeth. 

"Correct. You asked for the torpedoes, not your people. He gave you the torpedoes empty. Your crew is on board the Enterprise. They are safe."

"You don't know this for sure, do you? Did he tell you that was his plan?"

"No. He did not, but he woul--"

"Violet! I have lost my crew twice already. I dare not hope again. The pain is already too much."

"They are alive. Please believe me."

He bowed his head and closed his eyes, his face scrunched in agony. 

"I know you are grieving, and you want to destroy Starfleet because of that pain, but..the people at Starfleet headquarters had nothing to do with the admiral's decision to abuse you. Please...there will be no justice in making them suffer."

"They took everything from me." He pulled away from me.

I placed my hand on his shoulder. "They didn't. It wasn't their fault. They had no idea what the admiral was doing. If they had, they would have tried to help you." The ship tilted slightly, a red light started to flash. We were getting closer to earth! "The engines are compromised. A ship this big will destroy San Francisco. Why should all those innocent children and mothers and fathers have to die for the admiral's crimes? You know that pain of lose, please spare innocent people that same nightmare. When your grief subsides, when you realize that crew is still alive, you will deeply regret harming hundreds of innocent people."

"My crew is dead. I will die is this crash. I am sorry you are here for this. I...I don't want you to die in the crash."

"Why don't you want me to die?"

"You don't deserve it."

"All those people on earth don't deserve what's about to happen to them."

He closed his eyes and remained still. 

"Khan?"

He didn't reply. He didn't even move.

"Khan?"

"New Destination: head back to Enterprise. Previous destination," he practically spat the orders out. 

"Denied. Request," an automated voice said.

"Halt ship."

"Denied. Warp core misaligned. Last set destination is locked."

"Override," Khan said.

"Denied. Warp core misaligned."

"The ship is dead, Violet. The blast from...from the torpedoes--from the explosion that killed my family, misaligned the warp core." 

"No. It can't be. It can't be. All those people can't die, Khan. We have to fix the warp core! Let me fix it. I will fix it." Tears were steaming down my face. I was frantic. "We can't let anyone lose their life. Please. Please...I am begging you. I don't want anyone else to suffer the pain of lose that we have both experienced. It is too horrible."

Khan stood and wordlessly started to leave the bridge. I followed him and it wasn't easy. The ship had turned into a tipping maze of corridors. It was a death trap. 

"Jump!" Khan said. 

As the the ship turned I leapt of the open mouth of the hallway that got turned on its side as the ship plummeted. We continued to run till we got to the engine room.

"The warp core is inside here." He stopped outside the core containment area, he reached for the door control panel tapped out code on still-functioning keys, and then placed his open palm over the appropriate bio scanner.

"What are we going to do?"

"Stay. Here."

"You can't go in in there!" I grabbed his free hand.

I saw him raise his fist. They next thing I felt was pain across my face, and then the I fell into darkness. 

***

There was a dull throbbing in my head. The engine room was spinning--no, I was just dizzy. I tried to get up, but I was strapped to a metal chair. I tugged on one of the metal clasps across my chest and the straps receded into the chair. The dizziness subsided and I stood.

"Khan! Where are you?"

I heard ragged and pained gasps. They were coming from core containment area. Khan was behind the glass of the contained area, he was on the floor and looked near death!

"Violet," he wheezed out.

I ran over and knelt by the glass. "Let me in there! Let me help you."

He shook his head. "No. The decontamination processes isn't over yet. I built it so the process would be advanced, faster...and more thorough than other ship's systems...but it still takes time." He smiled sadly.

"But I want to help you. Please--"

"Everyone is safe, Violet. I realigned the core. I gave the ship the command...we are flying back up into space to meet with the Enterprise. No more bloodshed. Tell everyone I am...sorry, okay. I am so tired, so tired of the pain. I am sorry. I am so so sorry."

"No, you can tell them. Because you...you will be okay, right?"

"Decontamination processes completed," an automated voice said. Suddenly the glass opened up. I stepped in side the contained area and sat down. "You feel so warm." I placed his head on my lap. "I need to get you to the medbay. Where is it on this monster ship? We have to hurry and--"

"I am going to die, Violet." He grabbed my wrist. His fingers twitched nervously around my wrist. 

I looked down into his deep blue-green eyes so filled with pain. "No. You won't." I whispered. I took him and gently lifted him up. I sobbed unashamedly into his shoulder. "You won't..." my voice was muffled by my shoulder. 

"You...you would mourn my death?" his voice trembled. 

I pulled away to look at him "Yes."

He looked me in the eye and didn't say a word. 

"What?"

"It's okay. I a-always new I wouldn't die of old age and natural causes. I always new it would be like this--ahh." He clutched his abdomen and cried out. "I...I always new I would die a horrid death and in pain. However, there is one thing that is different."

"What is that?"

"I always thought I would die alone.That would be the worst if it...not the pain or injury, but to be alone. I never thought I would have someone to comfort me. It's...it's nice to have someone with me--to not be alone. I am not as scared." He grimaced. "Do you think...do you think God will forgive me if I am sorry?"

One of my tears fell on his forehead. I wiped it away with my hand."Yes. I do.I believe it with all my heart." His body relaxed at my words. I was glad he found comfort in them.

"Don't cry," he whispered, all the fierce power in his voice had disappeared. He sounded so broken. "Listen...your Dr.McCoy can make a serum from my blood. You may use it to help anyone who was harmed in any of my attacks. Okay."

I nodded. "Ok," I brushed his dark hair out of his eyes. 

There was silence for several seconds. He closed his eyes as I smoothed back his hair. He didn't move and I couldn't tell if he was still alive. "Khan?"

His eyes fluttered open. "Yes."

"Remember when you said that people who are good simply for the sake of other people's well being don't exist? And miracles don't exist. "

He smiled, but he was too exhausted and in too much pain, the faint sad smile only lasted for a fleeting second. "And...you said you would prove me wrong.

"I did."

"Yes, you did prove me wrong. I am glad you did. You...you truly are a person who sacrifice themselves, selflessly for others. Knowing you is the only good thing that has come out of any if this. You could have killed me...but instead you we're a friend to me. You are...outstandingly kind and selfless and--

"No, no. I wasn't talking about me."

"Who? Who...then?"

"You..." Tears fell down my cheeks. "I was talking about you, Khan." 

"Me?" he whispered. He blinked and allowed tears to fall from his eyes. 

"Yes. You."

His eyes fluttered back and at could tell he was going. I leaned in and kissed his forehead. His hand tightened around my wrist. "Shhh. Shh. It's okay."

"I can be with...my family now." I felt the tension release from his body. His eyes closed. He was gone. 

I lifted him up and cried into his shoulder.


	30. Restored

"How have you been feeling, dad?" I leaned over and kisses his head 

He smiled at me from the hospital bed. "Good. Even better with you here. However, you know you don't have to visit me every day."

"Why? Am I bothering you?" I sat down in a chair by his bedside. 

"Never. But you have been here everyday this month. Its not healthy or fair to you."

I reached over and squeezed his hand. "There is no place I would rather be. Anyone, the serum we used to heal you and Admiral Pike has never been uses before. I am worried something could go wrong."

"It's healed the other victims of Khan's attacks."

"Yes, but you and Admiarl Pike suffered substantially more than the others."

"I will be fine."

"I am...I just so happy to have you back. I am so sorry for all the pain I have caused you."

"Dear, you have apologized a million times already. You don't need to anymore. I forgive you, okay. Believe it."

"Thank you."

He smiled. 

Suddenly my phone alerted me. I got a texted. 

"He's awake, isn't he?"

"A...yeah." 

"Do you want to be there?"

"I don't want to leave you."

"It's okay. Go. I have become friends with Pike. We have a chess game soon in the rec room."

"Oh no," I said. "He doesn't know what he is in for." I got up and kissed dad's head. 

"Ella."

"Yeah, dad?"

"I am proud of you."

***

His eyes started to flutter open. 

"Welcome back," I said. 

He mumbled something I couldn't understand. He seemed dazed.

"Give him some time," Dr.McCoy said. "He did technically die after all."

His gaze fell lazily over to me.

"How do you feel?"

"Everything...everything hurts," he whispered.

Dr.McCoy leaned over and injected a hypo in his neck. Khan whimpered and reached over for the doctor's hand, to pull it away from his stinging neck.

"It will dull the pain," Dr.McCoy said. Khan's hand remained on the doctor's. "Don't over exert yourself." The doctor gently placed Khan's hand under the hospital blanket. 

"Does that feel better?" I sat in a chair by his bedside.

"Yes. But...I shouldn't be feeling anything. I shouldn't be a-alive." 

"We used the serum from your blood to bring you back."

"Why? Why did you bother to save my life?"

"Because you are a person and you deserve a second chance," I said.

"But...but your father. He needed the serum."

"There was enough for him as well. He is in recovery."

Dr.McCoy moved to the other side of the room. He was imputing data into the medical computer on the wall. "Actually the serum we created from your DNA has helped a lot of people, and from what we have learned from it, it will help people in the future as well."

"I am glad to be able to help make amends." His face crumpled in pain. "And I am grateful for all the you have done for me--don't think that I can't feel gratitude. B-But I don't want to live. I failed my family." He sobbed. "I didn't want to live without them."

Suddenly the door slid open. "I received word that the patient has regained consciousness," Spock said.

Khan's heart rate began to elevate and as a result one of his monitors started beeping. He tried to sit up in his hospital bed.

"Excellent timing, Spock!" Dr. McCoy place his hand on Khan's chest and held him back. 

"You...killed them," Khan slurred. "My family....My crew. Why?" He chocked back a sob. "Did you come here to g-gloat? Are you h-happy to see me like this?"

"Spock! Tell him already," Dr.McCoy pressed his fingers against Khan's neck, feeling his erratic pulse flutter. One of the monitors reading Khan's vitals began to beep loudly.

"Khan, I did not come here to cause you distress or to enjoy your suffering. On the contrary, I came here to offer you some peace."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your crew is alive."

"Stop." He whispered low. It sounded dangerous. "You are lying."

"I had Dr.McCoy remove your crew from the torpedoes before they detonated." 

"Stop this."

"I am not lying, Khan. I am telling you the--"

"Stop," he begged. "Please..."

"He is telling the truth. I removed your popsicle clan myself," Dr.McCoy reassured. 

"What could I possibly gain from lying to you?" Spock reasoned. 

Khan eye's desperately searched the room. His eyes fell on me. 

"They are telling the truth," I said.

He was silent for several moments. He licked his parched lips. "Alive...they are really alive? I...I need to see them! What are you going to do with them. Don't hurt them! Please, I will anything....anything you want. I'll submit to the cruelest forms of torture you can create! Punish me not them. They did nothing--"

"No." I placed a hand on Khan's chest, and eased him back down into the bed. "No one is going to hurt your crew or you."

"Khan. Your crew is safe," Spock said. "Section 31 has been dismantled. Anyone involved with the organization has been tried and put in prison."

"But...after everything I have done, there would be punishment. Am I to be put to death?"

"No," Dr.McCoy said. "Violet, you tell him."

I got up and walked over to him, so I would be closer to his bedside. "I submitted all the evidence of all the crimes that were committed against you by the admiral and by Section 31. I told them about the cure you offered us and how you went into the warp core to spare San Francisco. I had video of you being tortured...Admiral Marcus has been sentenced to life in prison."

"W-What about me?" he asked again.

"You must sumbit yourself to psychiatric help. Then you will be indentured to Starfleet for five years to modify all star ships, to make them as advanced as the Vengeance. Not militarized, but better. You crew will be reawaken and given the chance to undergo psychiatric evaluations and integrated back into society."

He remained silent and gape mouthed. 

"Khan, are you okay?"

"I...and this is all true?"

I nodded. "Entirely true."

His body visibly relaxed, and his vitals showed it too. "That's not what I was expecting," his voice trembled.

"What were you expecting?" I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That my crew and I would be experimented on."

"No," Violet whispered. "You are safe. Your crew is safe. You will be with them again. You will get to see your family again." I tried to hold back the tears.

"My family," he whispered. I could see the reaitly of it sinking in. Tears fell down his face. "My family," he sobbed into his hand.

"Come on Spock. Let's give the kids some time to talk." He placed his hand on Spock's shoulder and led him out of the room.

Khan continued to sob. "They are safe," he whispered.

"Yes. They are," I said reassuringly.

"Wait," he whispered. His voice still unsteady do to emotion. "What...what about you? You broke the law too."

"Yes. I have a year of community service. I also had to hand over the hacking program to Starfleet. I...am not to go to jail. Not even after what I did to my father. I guess...since my father already suffered so much they are granting me amnesty at his request. He doesn't want to see me go to jail."

"What did you do?"

"My dad...my dad was a Starship captain, but not for Starfleet. He was granted an independent lisense." I sat down on the near by chair. I sighed, trying not to cry. " His ship was called the Redemption and our mission was to go from planet to planet helping beings. If any creature was injured, diplaced from war, orphaned or widowed we would help."

"Very noble of your father."

"Yes. I wasn't so noble. I like our mission at first, when I was real young. It was me and my parents and our crew going on adventures to far off planets. However, as I grew older I started to resent it all."

"Why?"

"We were rarly on earth. I never really got to be normal, you know? Have a normal childhood and do normal things."

"Yes. I can understand that."

I nodded. "The Redemption was my dad's idea. My mom fell in love with him, and as a result his dreams. We did help a lot of civilaztions, but I couldn't help but feel isolated and alone. I wanted to go back to earth."

"Your parents didn't agree."

"We would fight all the time. I regret thouse arguments. The time I wasted..."

"What happened?"

"We got a distress call from an M class planet. I didn't want to go down and see where it was coming from. There were known pirates to be in that area. My mom was worried about it too."

"Your dad went down anyway."

"Yes. We were attacked by pirates, and our ship was severely damaged. My mom died."

"I am sorry."

"Thanks." I took a moment to try and collect myself. "I...I was angry. I was so angry at my dad. I wanted him to go to jail for reckless endangerment of his crew, resulting in death. However, the courts ruled him innocent and the pirates who attacked us where never found."

"And you wanted revenge."

"Yes. I am so ashamed of it now, but yes."

"How?"

"My mom was so smart and brilliant with computers. She taught me. I used my knowlege of computers and technogy from other planets to create a hacking program. I called it the Rubik's Cube. I used it to hack into Starfleets secret files and placed it in my dad's computer."

"That's why he went to jail."

"I t-tarnished my father's name and all the good work he was doing. I lead a trail back to his computer so the police w-would find him. I made it look like the Redemption was all just a cover up. That my dad was stealing private data and selling it to other planets." A steady stream of hot tears was pouring down my cheeks.

"You don't have to tell me more."

"No. I-I want to. You see my dad new what I had done. I could see it in his eyes, see the pain. I thought he would turn me into the police. But...he didn't. He forgave me and took my sentence upon him.

"That's why you were so forgiving of me?" He reached out and squeezed my hand. "Even after I harmed your father..."

"Yes. Once you have been forgiven and loved despite your mistakes it hard to hate others. You want to forgive and offer them the same chance you were given."

"And you forgive me? You actually forgive me? After everything I have done?"

"Yes."

"I...want to write letters to everyone I have hurt and ask for their forgiveness."

"I think that's a great idea."  
***

It was a bright and sunny day. The wind rustled the lush green leaves of the trees above us. The aroma of fresh flowers and earth was soothing and almost therapeutic. A sense of deep peace and tranquility hung lazily in the summer air.

I sat on the bench in the middle of the hospital's sprawling park.

Khan was near me, sitting in his wheelchair. He was doing better but, he hasn't fully healed yet. It would take time. But that was okay. The sun shone, Khan's family was safe, my family was safe. There was no war, no battle, no more secrets and manipulation. Sure, we didn't know what hills and valleys, what battles and wars would lay ahead, but it didn't matter. No matter how great the battle, no matter how dark and vast the galaxies could be, there was always love and love concures all. 

"Ella," Khan said.

"Yes?"

"Thank you...really....thank you."

I smiled back. "You're welcome, Khan."

 

***

 

Big thanks to everyone who read, commented, and voted on this Fanfic! Glad you enjoyed it.


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